We’re experiencing continued job growth as we reach the mid-point of 2023. The insurance carriers and related activities sector added jobs for the third consecutive month, reaching a new high watermark of 2,939,200 in May. The industry’s unemployment rate increased to 2.5%; however, it’s likely this will fall in the coming months, consistent with a previous spike in December 2022.

A job posting is often a potential candidate’s first exposure to a role. In today’s environment, insurance job openings are abundant, making it essential to cut through the noise and resonate with the right individuals. If you’re included within the 67% of insurers planning to hire this year, the below checklist can serve as a valuable guide to ensure your posting is as compelling as possible. 

As insurers aim to stay competitive in the challenging and volatile labor market, strategic succession planning and clear employee development opportunities are essential. Recently, The Jacobson Group conducted a study to better gauge the industry’s succession planning readiness. Below we highlight a few of the study’s key findings.

The U.S. labor market remains resilient – despite some economists’ predictions – as we enter May. The insurance carriers and related activities unemployment rate saw just a slight increase to 1.6%; and unemployment for the overall U.S. economy dropped to 3.4%, which along with January 2023, marks a 54-year low. Numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics also indicate that insurance industry employment hit a new high watermark in April, at nearly 2,937,000 jobs. 

As we move through 2023, insurers continue to face the challenges of a tight labor market. The industry’s unemployment rate remains low and job openings are high, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, 67% of insurers plan to increase their headcounts this year, according to our recent Q1 2023 Insurance Labor Market Study, conducted in partnership with Aon plc. Despite a looming recession and continued economic uncertainty, carriers have a positive outlook for the remainder of the year in terms of both staff and revenue growth.