Insurance organizations are beginning to look beyond traditional résumés and linear career paths as they rethink how to attract and develop the next wave of client‑facing talent in a tighter labour market.
Lisa Kack (pictured), founder and CEO of Royal City Recruitment, a specialist in recruitment for insurance and finance believes the industry is at an important turning point – one where human skills, potential, and lived experience matter just as much as technical knowledge.
Kack, who will share her views at the upcoming Women in Insurance Summit, says companies that rely too heavily on rigid checklists risk missing out on people who could not only succeed in a role, but help their teams and organizations thrive.
“In this industry, there is so much more to uncover,” she said. “Instead of asking whether someone ticks every box on day one, we should be asking how the opportunity might bring out the best version of that person — and how that individual can strengthen the team around them.”
With more than two decades of experience across the insurance sector before launching her own recruitment firm, Kack has seen the industry evolve in how it approaches talent.
She notes that today’s teams often operate with leaner resources and higher expectations, which means employers need individuals who can contribute effectively from the outset. At the same time, she cautions that focusing too narrowly on “day‑one readiness” can unintentionally limit the talent pool.
“Organizations need people who can step in with confidence, but they also need individuals who will grow with the business,” she said. “That balance is where strong recruitment practices make all the difference.”
Kack emphasizes that an efficient, well‑structured hiring process helps employers uncover the capabilities that matter most – not just what appears on a résumé or LinkedIn profile.
“When you ask thoughtful questions and create space for genuine conversation, you see the person behind the document,” she said. “You learn how they think, how they communicate, and how they can help a team and organization thrive – both today and over time.”
For roles such as brokers, advisors, claims adjusters, underwriters and leadership Kack sees human skills rising to the top of hiring priorities.
“Think about the empathy a claims adjuster needs when speaking with a client,” she said. “The tone, the pace, the ability to truly listen – that’s where trust is built.”
Insurance, she notes, is ultimately a trust business. The experience a client has during a claim or coverage conversation often shapes their perception of the brand more than any marketing campaign.
While technology is reshaping recruitment, Kack encourages organizations to use AI thoughtfully.
She sees real value in tools that improve efficiency and support preparation but draws a firm line at replacing human judgment.
“It helps us prepare, but it doesn’t do the conversation for us,” she said. “People open up when you talk to them, when you provide a space for them to feel comfortable that’s where the story telling happens. You don’t see that in a filter or a score.”
For roles where trust and connection are central, she believes organizations cannot afford to outsource decisions about human qualities to algorithms alone.
Kack’s recruitment practice is built around taking the time to understand candidates who might otherwise be overlooked.
She often sees profiles set aside quickly because they don’t match a narrow set of criteria. But when employers pause to explore a candidate’s motivations, strengths, and transferable skills, they often discover alignment that wasn’t immediately visible.
“Before moving past a candidate, we should be asking: What are they looking for? What strengths do they bring? How might they contribute to the team and the culture?” she said.
Even when someone isn’t the right match for a specific role, she believes in keeping them in view — treating recruitment as relationship‑building rather than a one‑time transaction.
Kack notes that widening the skills lens also opens doors for women and other underrepresented groups, whose career paths may include breaks, lateral moves, or industry shifts.
Many bring strengths in communication, empathy, and client care – exactly the qualities insurers say they want in customer‑facing roles. But those strengths can be overlooked when hiring focuses too heavily on uninterrupted tenure or narrowly defined experience.
By recognizing transferable skills and being explicit about the human capabilities needed in roles, Kack believes insurers can build stronger, more diverse pipelines for leadership and specialist positions.
As competition for talent intensifies, Kack encourages employers to look beyond convenience and speed and focus on what truly drives meaningful hiring: understanding people.
“We all feel the pressure in this industry, and the tools we use help us keep moving,” she said. “But tools don’t build trust or reveal character. It’s the human connection – the conversations where people show their resilience, their empathy, their drive – that helps us see who will strengthen a team. When we hire with that clarity, we don’t just fill roles. We find the people who help organizations thrive.
Join the Women in Insurance Summit Canada 2026 on June 2 at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, ON, to turn representation into leadership. Hear from industry leaders, build your network, and leave with practical strategies to advance women into decision‑making roles.
