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The Human Element of AI Transformation

Discover ways to effectively navigate through AI transformation. Only 4% of companies say they’re creating real value from their AI investments. The key differentiator is how well organizations manage the human side of implementation. 

Download the white paper to explore best practices for taking a human-focused approach as you lead through change.

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Jacobson Employee Spotlight – Q3 2025

We are thrilled to announce The Jacobson Group has again been named to Business Insurance's list of the Best Places to Work in Insurance! At Jacobson, we’re dedicated to our team members’ growth and success throughout all stages of their careers, and are honored to be recognized as a workplace where employees can thrive. In this employee spotlight, we’re proud to highlight three outstanding team members whose dedication and character help drive Jacobson’s success. Toya Vincent Contract Administrator, 3 years 9 months at Jacobson Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana Alma Mater:  Herzing University - MBA Describe Your Role: I support our contracts and legal department, including ensuring compliance with contractual obligations by tracking, monitoring, reporting and sharing this information within the organization. Favorite Restaurant: True Food Kitchen In Your Time at Jacobson, What Has Been Your Favorite Project?  Either when we created Contracts and Legal or IntelAgree pages for our Jacobson intranet. Last Show You Binged: "Grey's Anatomy"  Who or What Inspires You To Excel in Your Role? My kids, River and TJ You Are Happiest When You Are: Living in the moment Describe Jacobson in three words: Fun, family oriented and flexible Joanna Kruzel Assistant Vice President, 3 years 11 months at Jacobson Hometown: Justice, Illinois Alma Mater:  University of Illinois at Chicago Describe Your Role: I partner with leaders across the insurance industry to understand their talent needs and deliver tailored workforce solutions. As a thought leader, I also speak at industry events, share market insights, and actively contribute to shaping the future of insurance talent. Last Movie You Watched: I recently watched My Oxford Year on Netflix. Advice for Newcomers to the Industry:  Stay curious and never hesitate to ask questions. The insurance industry is constantly evolving, so it’s important to educate yourself and build meaningful connections by networking within the field. Random Fact: I have a Shiba Inu named Nismo. Shiba’s are the dog breed most closely related to wolves, so he brings just the right mix of charm and wild energy. If You Won the Lottery, What Is the First Thing You Would Do? I’d move back to Tennessee and buy a big farm where we could enjoy peace and nature. A place to relax, raise some animals, and just soak in the peaceful country life away from the city hustle. Karrie Ruch Recruiter, 6 years 11 months at Jacobson Hometown: Byram, New Jersey Alma Mater: I attended Middlesex College and Johnson & Whales University. Describe Your Role: I identify, attract, and place qualified candidates in roles that align with client needs across the insurance and healthcare industries. My responsibilities include sourcing and screening talent, formatting and presenting resumes, writing compelling candidate pitches, and coordinating the hiring process between clients and candidates. Last Show You Binged: "The Chosen"  Advice for Newcomers to the Industry:  Build relationships! Favorite Food: Mexican Who or What Inspires You To Excel in Your Role? I’m inspired by the challenge of finding and placing “purple squirrels”, those rare, hard-to-find candidates with the exact skills and experience clients need. What drives me in my role is the ability to dig deeper, think creatively and connect exceptional talent with the right opportunities. You Are Happiest When You Are: My happiest moments are often the simplest, sitting outside in the sunshine. If You Won the Lottery, What Is the First Thing You Would Do? Build a new school for my kids and free athletic facilities for my community. View previous editions of our Employee Spotlight. For monthly Employee Spotlights, follow our Facebook page. 

September 2025: Labor Market PULSE

Industry Experiences Job Losses While Unemployment Drops One Full Point AT-A-GLANCE NUMBERS Unemployment for the insurance carriers and related activities sector decreased to 1.3% in August. The insurance carriers and related activities sector lost 5,500 jobs in August. At more than 3 million jobs, industry employment increased by approximately 12,400 jobs compared to August 2024. The U.S. unemployment rate increased to 4.3% in August and the overall economy added 22,000 jobs. INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS On a year-to-year basis, July* insurance industry employment saw job increases in agents/brokers (up 2.3%), title (up 1.7%), property and casualty (up 1.6%) and TPAs (up 0.4%). Meanwhile, jobs decreased in life/health (down 2.0%), reinsurance (down 1.3%) and claims (down 0.5%). On a year-to-year basis, July* saw weekly earnings increases in all categories: property and casualty (up 9.0%), agents/brokers (up 6.9%), title (up 6.7%), TPAs (up 5.1%) and claims (up 3.5%). ** Within the larger finance and insurance sector, job openings increased to 311,000 for July*. Both voluntary quits and retirements remained at stable levels for finance and insurance in July. The rate of hires within finance and insurance is tracking ahead for 2025 (at 2.2%) compared to 2024 (2%) and 2023 (1.9%). Notes: Adjusted employment numbers for July show the industry saw an increase of 7,900 jobs, compared to the previously reported decrease of 8,100 jobs. The BLS continues to revise numbers to be most accurate, which may contribute to inconsistencies, depending on when reports were pulled. *The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey report and reports on wages and employment for the industry category are only available for two months prior. **The BLS has not reported on reinsurance and life/health insurance earnings since December 2024. The source for the data represented in PULSE is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Insurance data is derived from the insurance carriers and related activities sector.

Retaining Your Top Talent in Today’s Market

High performers are generally 400% more productive than average contributors and are able to make the greatest company-wide impact. Explore ways to identify and retain your most impactful employees.

Overcoming Today’s MPL Talent Challenge

Jacobson's Jeff Blair recently authored a featured article for Inside Medical Liability on overcoming today's MPL talent challenge. 

The Best Insurance Companies to Work for in the USA | Top Insurance Employers

A recent Insurance Business Magazine article quotes Jacobson's Corey Pinkham, highlighting that the best insurance companies to work for place a true emphasis on the employee experience. 

6 Keys to Leading Actuarial Teams Through Change

Automation, machine learning and AI are transforming the insurance landscape and are essential for the evolution of the actuarial function. These tools and other elements of actuarial modernization contribute to innovation, increased productivity, enhanced data analysis and more, while also freeing up teams for more complex tasks. However, while these advancements have a wealth of benefits, if new tools and processes are not effectively adopted and consistently used, they won’t meet their anticipated potential. As you move forward with implementing AI or any other type of change or advancement, bringing your people along is key. Here are six ways to ensure you’re taking a people-focused approach that promotes a smooth transition and supports retention and engagement. 1. Be realistic. If your company does not have continual growth and evolution woven into its culture, there may be a number of initial hurdles and concerns to overcome. Actuaries who have been with your company for several years have likely become accustomed to a certain way of operating, and there’s typically a general fear of the unknown. While some individuals may be excited and recognize the need and benefit of a change, anticipate that others will push back. Be empathetic and give individuals the time and information they need to work through their initial discomfort. 2. Have a clear vision. Be able to answer why you are implementing a change, as well as how it will benefit your business and its people. Ensure you can articulate the problem a new tool or technology is solving for your company or department, as well as how you are defining and measuring success. Ultimately, employees want to know what is in it for them and how it will impact their day-to-day work. 3. Provide a roadmap. For most major modernization initiatives, there will be long-term timelines and multiple phases of rollout. Share this information with your team and ensure everyone is aligned on expectations and timing. For instance, you may be gradually phasing an existing tool out while providing training and support for your team as they ramp up on a new tool. Whether the change will occur all at once or gradually over time, clear expectations are essential for keeping everyone on the same page. 4. Alleviate hesitations. Regardless of the change, individuals will have concerns. Help alleviate negative or anxious feelings by inviting conversation and questions. Some may be reluctant to overhaul a system they feel works adequately. Others may be concerned for the security of their jobs or the amount of training they’ll receive to be successful. Address these areas and encourage ongoing open dialogue. 5. Invest in training. No matter the scale or scope, err on the side of too much training rather than not enough. Create detailed reference documents, provide time for Q&A, offer shadowing opportunities, and schedule live and/or recorded training sessions to make sure everyone feels comfortable and capable. This may also include planning for how you will reskill individuals to step into new areas. 6. Check in. Ask for feedback at all stages of the change. Are they using the tool consistently and correctly? How do they feel their productivity has been impacted? Where can you provide additional support or training? What questions do they feel are still unanswered? Use this information to guide your next steps and gain a better understanding of what still needs to be addressed or adjusted to be most successful. Change is necessary as actuarial capabilities evolve and progress. Having your team’s support and buy-in around these transformations is essential to be most effective and remain competitive. With clear communication and an empathetic approach, you’ll be positioned to help your team embrace change and realize its full potential.

Overcoming the Executive Talent Drain

A strong executive team is essential for fulfilling your organization’s long-term potential. However, as the scope of leadership expands and the need for skilled leaders intensifies, many insurers are experiencing a talent drain at the executive level. Our Q3 2025 Insurance Labor Market Study revealed the demand for executive-level roles across all functions is at the highest recorded, with 4% of carriers planning to add executives in the next 12 months. Not surprisingly, while executives are in high demand, they are also among the most challenging of all positions to fill for the fourth consecutive survey – second only to actuarial roles. Additionally, we’re seeing the industry continue to age and many leaders nearing retirement. Currently a quarter of the insurance workforce is aged 55 and older, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As part of your larger succession planning efforts, it’s essential to focus on what your organization can do now to prepare for a smooth generational transition at the executive level. Prepare your next layer of talent. Unemployment for insurance carriers and related activities is low – at 2.3% compared to 4.2% for the overall U.S. economy. Although there is limited available insurance talent, more than half of carriers are planning to increase their headcounts in the next year. Given the competition for top talent, retaining and developing your high potential and high performing employees is essential. These are often the individuals who can later step into key executive-level roles with the right training and preparation. For those who may be potential successors for these positions, aim to identify opportunities to strengthen and build the skills necessary for advancement. When the time comes, having a great internal candidate who can confidently step up into a role means you were successful in your development and preparation. However, there will also be occasions when those individuals are not quite ready timing-wise or there is no one internally who is the right fit. Be proactive and creative with external hires. Once you’ve explored options within your current workforce, there may still be gaps to fill and areas where you need to bring in outside talent. Rather than waiting to hire an executive when a need arises – which is often already too late – be strategic in bringing on individuals you can grow and develop, as well as those who can help prepare others within your team. Consider hiring individuals with a shorter career runway. Often, when professionals are hired into a position, they may be ready for the job and plan to stay in it for the next 15 years. This may be the right move for your organization; or, it could create a barrier for those within your existing team who need about three to five more years before they are ready to take the next step. By hiring someone from outside the organization who is nearing the end of their career, you can maintain continuity, while leveraging their expertise to train and develop your next layer of talent. Be open to promoting people into a position. You may have applicants who are not necessarily ready for a position on paper, but can be hired into the role and developed. These are typically high potential individuals who have proven their aptitude for ongoing learning and ability to rise to challenges. Explore candidates with similar experience. In the current market, you limit yourself if you are too rigid in a role’s requirements. You may need to branch out to executive-level individuals who work in similar lines of business, or consider those who have held the role at smaller companies and are looking to move into a larger environment. Be realistic in what is truly required to be successful and the traits and transferable skills that are truly crucial to success. Ensure you’re focused on the future, while building your bench for both the long- and shorter term. Consider your current executive team and be realistic in preparing for them to eventually step down, looking both internally and externally for those you can develop to take their place. By acknowledging the increasing competition for executives and being creative in your talent acquisition and development, you’ll be prepared to best avoid the executive-level talent drain.

Insurance Industry Shows Hiring Optimism Despite Persistent Talent Challenges

A recent Risk & Insurance article shares key takeaways from the third-quarter 2025 Insurance Labor Market Study conducted by The Jacobson Group and Aon.

Working With a Recruiter: How to Set Yourself Up for Success

If you’re actively job searching or even just open to new opportunities, chances are you’ll connect with a recruiter at some point. These interactions can be transformative for your career, fall completely flat or land somewhere in between. The difference often comes down to how you approach the relationship. There are many ways you may initially cross paths with a recruiter. Perhaps you are actively looking for a new position and contact external recruiters to broaden your reach. Or, you may apply to a job posting and have a recruiter respond as a first step in the process. In other cases, recruiters may be working to fill open roles and reach out directly to gauge your interest and potential fit. While the catalysts and types of relationships vary, recruiters have the ability to help you identify and access your dream role, while also guiding you throughout the interview process. In an ideal partnership, they have the right connections, market insights and industry relationships. You have the skills and experience a company is looking for. When both sides bring their best, everyone wins. Come prepared. Your first conversation with a recruiter sets the tone for your relationship, so proper preparation is key for making the most of your time. Update your resume prior to your first call so the recruiter has accurate information and can easily pass it along (a Word doc or PDF format is your best bet for readability across various devices.) Prepare to discuss what you're looking for in your next role, including expectations around compensation, travel, in-office work and relocation. Have your notes and a copy of your resume in front of you to help guide the conversation. Do your homework by researching the company (when possible), reviewing the job requirements, and thinking through how your experience aligns. Be ready to ask your own questions, too. This may include initial questions about the employer’s company culture, team dynamics, reporting structure, potential growth opportunities and what success looks like in the role. Think strategically about what you need to know to feel comfortable advancing in the process, while also providing information that can help the recruiter identify potential opportunities for you down the road. Be honest and professional. While it’s important to put your best foot forward, make sure you are also being transparent about gaps in your resume, career pivots or areas where you're still growing. If you have switched industries or have an unconventional background, focus on the transferable skills you’ve gained and what you’ve learned, drawing a connection to how this has prepared you for your next step. If a recruiter thinks you are right for a role, they can help you navigate these areas with hiring managers and prevent surprises later. Avoid going on tangents, taking over the call or talking negatively about past employers and colleagues. While you may be discussing experiences and hard skills, your soft skills and professional presence are also being reflected. Let the recruiter lead the conversation and aim to answer questions thoroughly, but succinctly. If you are no longer interested in a role after learning more, tell the recruiter rather than continuing to move through the process. Be courteous in your communication. It’s important to be respectful and cognizant of the recruiter’s time (along with anyone else you encounter during the hiring process!) If a job posting shares a preferred method for applying, follow that process to help ensure your application is seen. If you are reaching out cold, email or LinkedIn are likely best, allowing the recruiter to respond on their own time. Once you have a call scheduled, be punctual be punctual to make the most of your time. Often recruiters have back-to-back meetings. If you are going to be late or something comes up, let them know and offer to reschedule. Recruiters are typically working on several roles at a time and aiming to find quality candidates quickly. Respond promptly to messages and follow up requests. If you take days to respond, don’t be surprised if other candidates may have already moved ahead in the process. At the same time, look to your recruiter to guide the interview process and connect you with the hiring manager when appropriate. That said, limit your communication to business hours - texting your recruiter at 10 p.m. doesn’t demonstrate enthusiasm, it shows poor respect for boundaries. Stay in touch. Even if a specific opportunity doesn’t work out, establishing a relationship can help you build your professional network and even open doors later. If you’ve made a positive impression and effectively communicated your capabilities and career goals, it’s likely you’ll be considered as future opportunities arise. In some cases, recruiters may seek out your perspective as an industry thought leader or even ask you to recommend others who may be right for a position they’re filling. Keep the lines of communication open and check in periodically to continue building a two-way relationship. By coming prepared, remaining authentic and respecting the process, you’ll be best equipped to make the most of your experience with a recruiter. For more insight on navigating your career journey and making a lasting impression, view our blogs on building your personal brand and taking charge of your professional development.

Carrier Revenue Growth Expected to Outpace Hiring in Next Year

A recent Carrier Management article highlights the findings from The Jacobson Group and Aon's Q3 2025 Insurance Labor Market Study. 

Q3 2025 Labor Market Study Infographic

Our Q3 Insurance Labor Market Study, conducted in partnership with Aon, found 53% of insurance carriers plan to expand their teams in the next 12 months. Explore more of the study's findings in this infographic.

Q3 2025 U.S. Insurance Labor Market Study Results

The Jacobson Group and Aon - STG Performance Benchmarking conducted a study to investigate hiring trends within the insurance industry.