INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT
The purpose of this exercise is to learn from an expert and obtain a better perspective of how the industry operates. You should identify anagent, supervisor, manager, or owner of an insurance firm to interview. If possible, choose someone working in an industry in which you have a personal interest or are already working. Your goal is to learn from this person's experience. You may use the questions listed below and/or develop your own. After your interview, prepare a brief summary of the conversation and list their strategies, tools, and techniques for operating effectively within the insurance industry.
Possible Questions
1. What is your particular business and how does it fit into the larger insurance industry.
2. What practices make your business successful?
3. How do you promote your business in terms of Marketing?
4. What are some legal issues that this industry routinely faces and what is on the legal/political horizon for the industry?
5. What are the different types of contracts used in this industry and how are they different than other industries?
6. How did you become involved in this profession?
7. Can you describe any mistake that you have made that others should avoid?
You may improvise and add or edit questions to fit the situation or the circumstances of your interview. Schedule your interview ahead of time and try to limit it to about 15 minutes. Remember to send a thank-you note to the person you interview.
Always remember when doing a school assignment like this to not just look at it as an assignment. It is an opportunity for you to make a purposeful contact with someone whom you may not normally have an opportunity. These encounters could even lead to a future internship and/or employment opportunities. Remember, you are trying to make a good impression, dress and speak well. Ask good questions that not only fulfill the assignment but help your personal cause. Something over the top would be to google the person and share something professional, positive, and impressive that you know about them when you meet.
Follow all the instructions in the exercise. What you will turn in is (1) a concise summary of what you learned, (2) the numbered questions you asked, and (3) the answers you received to them. See the example on the last page for the correct format. Do not deviate from this precise format. You may adjust the margins and the fonts when necessary. However, I would prefer that your answers be in 12 point font or greater if possible. Although, the amount of space you use for questioning is unlimited, do not let your summary exceed one page.
Exercise your ability to concisely summarize without leaving out important facts. Assume that your boss, who only has a limited amount of time to deal with any issue, will be making business decisions upon the information that you provide and the authority to grant you the promotion that you strongly desire.
When writing, use as many applicable "key words" from the chapter as possible. Make sure that you are using them correctly. Never take credit for work that is not yours. When in doubt, use quotation marks and tell where the information came from. Remember, be concise, one page is the limit for the summary. Make only one submission. Use your best writing skills and spell check at least three times.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.