'The insurance industry is so broad and there is a need for a varied set of skills'
About you
I currently work at IAG's innovation division 'Customer Labs' where I lead innovation projects using emerging technologies. I began my career as an oncology/palliative care nurse, helping patients live the final moments of their lives with dignity. It's not the usual pre-cursor to working in the insurance industry, but it's this empathy and passion for supporting people that helped me make this transition. I have now been working in the insurance industry since 2007.
I transitioned into the insurance industry via personal injury insurance where i managed transport accident claims. This role allowed me to use my medical knowledge to ensure that clients were receiving appropriate treatment to support their recovery. Following this role and a number of years in claims, I then worked my way up into project/program management.
Outside of work I am the Chair of the ANZIIF Generation I Council, a business owner, a passionate advocate for volunteering that sees me give my time to One Voice in Melbourne and - my most exciting role yet - a new mum to baby Hope.
I currently hold a Bachelor of Nursing and Graduate Diploma of Finance.
You're passionate about Human-Centred Design, can you explain what this is?
Human-Centred design is a creative approach to problem solving. At IAG we use this approach to solve problems for our business and our customers. It's a process that starts with the people you're designing for an ends with new solutions that are tailor-made to suit their needs.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY?
I was working as an oncology nurse and to be honest I was feeling a bit burnt out. I explored other options to use my nursing degree and found that i could transition to the corporate world via personal injury insurance.
You mentioned you were originally a nurse, was the transition into insurance easy?
I found this a super easy transition. Shift work vanished, and I felt that I suited corporate life. I was still using my medical knowledge, so it seemed I could make more of a difference in this setting. I only ever planned to work out of the clinical space for about a year, but here I am 11 years later, and I haven't looked back.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE LOOKING TO GET INTO INSURANCE?
Absolutely! The insurance industry is so broad and there is a need for a varied set of skills (including medical). There are a number of things to start exploring:
- Careers in Insurance website
- Contact the recruitment area of the insurance company you are interested in and share with them a recent CV
- Add the person you speak to on LinkedIn - this is a great way to see what roles become available to the company
- Medirecruit is a great job agency that assists medical staff to transition into the corporate world (including insurance)
- Explore the careers page of insurance companies to determine if anything aligns with your interests and skill-set
- Consider further education in the insurance space through education providers such as ANZIIF.