Key skills for fresh insurance professionals revealed

A social media poll of 800 Chartered Insurance Institute members conducted in June saw 56 per cent (446 members) stating that having the right attributes for successful social interaction was the key skill that people entering the profession needs to have.

Roughly a third (275 insurance professionals) said technical knowledge was the vital quality for those embarking on a career in the insurance profession to have.

Computer literacy was cited as the highest priority skill to have for those beginning their insurance career by 5 per cent of those surveyed and another 5 per cent felt literacy was top of the tree of skills fresh entrants needed to have on their first day in the job.

Gill White, Chief Customer Officer of the Chartered Insurance Institute, said: “The findings of the poll very much support the CII’s view that there is a vital combination of skills, knowledge and behaviours that combine to make a professional.

“We have just opened a consultation with all our stakeholders on the future competency framework to ensure everyone in the profession can refer to a common standard for that combination of competencies and encourage members to help us make sure that the right personal skills are identified alongside knowledge and behaviours so that we can help attract, develop and retain the professionals our customers need to serve their needs.”

The Chartered Insurance Institute is consulting with the market to produce a “professional map,” which will be used to ensure the group’s learning, qualifications and membership journey meet future career needs and identify and fill any gaps.

The CII has already spent more than a year interviewing and collating the views of more than 200 market and HR leaders to map the skills, knowledge and behaviours they believe businesses and individuals will need now and in the future.