For most insurers, the hiring process continues to be primarily virtual, bringing with it new obstacles and best practices. Candidates expect streamlined experiences tailored to the remote environment and have become less forgiving of avoidable missteps. Employers must be strategic about engaging candidates at every touchpoint, and presenting open roles and their organizations in the best light possible.

The insurance industry saw unemployment drop from 4.2% in July to just 2.9% in August. This came with a slight decrease in industry jobs, continuing a five-month decline. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports industry employment is just shy of where it was one year ago, our Q3 2021 Insurance Labor Outlook Study indicates growth in the coming year; 93% of insurers plan to maintain or increase their staff sizes in the next 12 months.

As we move through the second half of 2021, insurers’ employment outlooks remain strong. Our recent Q3 2021 Insurance Labor Outlook Study, conducted in partnership with Aon plc, found 93% of insurers plan to increase or maintain their headcounts in the next 12 months.

This year marks The Jacobson Group’s golden anniversary. We are excited to celebrate 50 years of successfully connecting insurance organizations with the talent they need to drive success. As we reflect on a half-century in business, our co-CEOs, Greg Jacobson and Rick Jacobson, sat down for a Q&A about their time at Jacobson and how the industry has changed in the past several decades. For more of their responses, view the trailer episode of our new podcast, The Insurance Talent Podcast.

The overall economy saw an optimistic employment report in July, gaining nearly 950,000 jobs and exceeding economists’ predictions. The national unemployment rate is also encouraging, reaching its lowest since the start of the pandemic.