From Intern to Change Management Lead: Kristina Neesam’s Journey in the Insurance Industry

Most experiences in your life start and end with a story. Whether positive or negative, the story helps convey the experience in detail and enables others to relate. This is especially true for insurance, where you will be hard-pressed to find a person who knew they wanted to work in insurance! I am no different. This is the story of how I entered the insurance industry.

While I was about to enter my senior year of college, I learned that one of my requirements for graduation was to complete an internship. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my degree after I graduated, but I knew that I needed to find an internship. I reached out to my older sister, letting her know about my requirements, and luckily, her company, a workers' compensation insurance company, was looking for interns for the summer. As a 21-year-old, I had no clue what my sister did, but I was open to the opportunity. After all, she worked there, so it couldn't be that bad, right? I applied, went through the interview process, and eventually was offered the internship.

I had very little knowledge of the insurance industry, and honestly, I thought it was probably going to be boring. In the back of my mind, I knew that it fulfilled my college requirement and that I had a free place to live for the summer with my sister. As many say, you do not seek out a career in insurance; it ultimately just falls into your lap, or someone you know influences you to pursue it. I was no different.

Throughout that summer internship, I learned about claims, loss control, underwriting, the mailroom—you name it, I was open to learning about it. This summer experience helped me determine whether I wanted to continue in the insurance industry and what I wanted to do after college graduation. After the summer ended and I returned to college, I knew that I wanted to go back and work full-time for the organization. I returned during winter break and helped out, again learning something new: medical billing.

The people and the opportunity to learn a variety of things were what I looked forward to. When I graduated, I was lucky enough to accept a position in the state filing area. I was learning more about the laws and regulations governing workers' compensation, but I did not want to stop there.

I saw the work being done by the claims representatives day in and day out. They were there for individuals during some of their darkest days. They were there to help injured workers recover and return to full capacity, allowing them to get back to doing jobs they loved. I wanted to be a part of that, so I moved into a claims representative role. I felt that I could make a difference and help injured workers when they were hurt on the job. I handled everything from smaller laceration claims to catastrophic claims for about seven years. I enjoyed working with the people, but I knew it was time for a new challenge.

Next up on my career path was joining the Client Relations/Account Management team. I was able to work with the largest accounts the organization had. I built relationships, listened to the needs of these large accounts, and helped make things happen. I worked with a variety of departments involved with each account, including claims, loss control, underwriting, and agents. After being in that role for about six years, I decided it was time to learn more about the corporate side of the industry.

In 2022, I had the opportunity to move to the Business Readiness/Change Management team. In this new position, I have been able to learn more about the different departments within the parent company, meet new team members, and participate in projects. Change can be a challenge for some, but having someone from change management involved in the project team can help ensure that people are ready, willing, and able to adapt to upcoming changes. People are important and vital to an organization's success. Without team buy-in on a project, it will be difficult for people to adopt the changes.

As I have learned throughout my years in insurance, it is really important to get involved. Join that project team, lead a group to ensure the organization's success, provide feedback, or attend seminars—you will be amazed at what you learn. In 2023, I joined RISE's Mentorship Program. I have been matched with industry experts who have shared their knowledge and stories of how they got involved in insurance. Listen to the stories people are willing to share; doing so will help build connections. It may also spark an interest in what you can see yourself doing next. Learning is growing, and there is always an opportunity for growth.

What is your story, and how did you get involved in insurance? If you have not shared your story with someone, I encourage you to do so. You never know whom you might influence or help determine their next career step. If you are a young adult considering the insurance industry, I highly recommend job shadowing, asking questions, talking with people in the industry, or reaching out. We are friendly insurance professionals who are always looking to help the next person succeed.