Thomas’ insight into securing a technician role with Starr Companies

We recently caught up with Thomas about how they secured a technician role with Starr Companies, how they built their commercial awareness before the interview and their top tips for Bright Network members looking to follow in their footsteps.

What stood out to you about Starr Companies?

The first bit which stood out to me was the name! Starr certainly sounds like a star, and I thought it's pretty cool. I had a smooth interview and application process, which made me feel comfortable. The people who interviewed me were friendly and welcoming. This is my first City job post-graduation and I wanted to pick a company where I could develop professionally and comfortably.

How did you build your commercial awareness before the interview?

I didn't know too much about insurance nor had any family members in insurance, so I utilised LinkedIn to help me find people who worked in insurance, to ask questions to. Additionally, I used Google to research news articles about insurance. Investopedia, which is like Wikipedia but for financial terms, helped me understand industry-specific jargon which was mentioned in the job description.

What would be your top tip to members going through the application process?

Stay organised! You might be making a lot of applications so I would advise keeping a record of the companies you've applied to and what stage of the application process you are at. This can help motivate you, as you can set a goal of completing x number of applications in a timeframe, or just view how many jobs you've applied for. By staying organised, you can feel more in control which can help you feel less stressed. The application process can be challenging, you give yourself the best chance by being organised where you can.

How did Bright Network help you secure this role?

Bright Network helped me find an opportunity to foster my interest in insurance via BAME Future Leaders 2020 with Aon. Following an insightful and successful workshop with Aon, I felt more confident that I would like to work in insurance. From then, I started actively seeking roles in the insurance sector.

What’s your advice for tackling tough interview questions?

Firstly, pause and think about the question you have just been asked. Sometimes the question can fly over you, and you can ask the interviewer to repeat it slower, so you can process it a second time around. Once you've understood the question, try and come up with a few points or a story. I would advise keeping the original question in mind, as it can be easy to talk and talk and forget what the actual question was! There are different frameworks you can utilise to structure your answer such as STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Response) and remember to use lots of examples from your experiences, voluntary and professional.

Did you use Bright Network Academy in your career search and if so, how did it help you?

Yes, I had used Bright Network Academy, they had courses to help improve your CV, interview skills and learn more about financial markets. The videos were like mini-lectures and well-presented so I really enjoyed learning something new from the different presenters. Watching and completing videos helped me gain confidence which motivated me in my career search.

What top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?

1. Talk to professionals who work in the jobs you are interested in. Young professionals have recently been in your shoes and will be happy and excited to talk about their roles and give you advice.
2. Keep applying for roles! If you have your dream role in mind, it might take a lot of applications, or a few. You need to keep yourself in the running. Do that by keeping on applying.
3. Attend career events and keep upskilling. You can show employers you are engaged by being active on LinkedIn and talking about events you have attended and your professional interests. They will appreciate that.