Company Name: Kemper Auto and Home
Company Focus: Property and Casualty Insurance
Headquarters: Home office is in Jacksonville, Florida; Office locations in Folsom, CA, Scranton, PA, Dallas, TX, Spokane, WA
Web site: www.kahg.com
Number of IT Employees: 220
Hiring Plans: Aiming to hiring Java and mainframe programmers, quality and business analyst. Has filled over 40 requisitions this year and anticipates another 30 or 40.
Hiring Leader: Rick Hammett, Regional HR/Recruiting Manager.
The Company:
At Kemper Auto and Home, we are committed to building and maintaining an organization that understands and values diversity at all levels. Our philosophy is that a diverse workforce enriches the workplace and leads to greater creativity, improved leadership, and a more fulfilling experience for all employees.
We support a culture of open communication, initiative, and inclusion. We embrace our differences and strive to be an organization that continues to value, respect, and maximize the potential of all employees regardless of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability and other differences that make us unique.
Our vision is to be the insurer of choice for agents and the company of choice for employees. These "Core Values" are the guiding principles that allow us to produce consistent growth and profit while meeting or exceeding the expectations of our independent agency customers.
To meet this vision for our future, we are engaging in several company initiatives that include:
Diversity Awareness
Health and Wellness
Employee Assistance Programs
Innovative Recruiting and Staffing
Improved Mentoring and Developmental Opportunities.
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Given all the news about the talent crunch, have you or are you finding it more difficult to find qualified IT professionals? Is there any particular skillset in big demand or very scarce?
There is a big demand for Java programmers, Java architects and technical business systems analyst.
What are your primary recruiting strategies? Do you work with recruiters, post jobs online, etc.?
We source and network to find candidate. We attend job fairs and trade shows and have an aggressive development plan to promote from within.
What is the hiring process?
It depends on the position. It's typically a panel technical interview, then interview with the hiring manager and then area director.
What makes for an outstanding potential hire?
Good energy level, stable job history and track record of success!
What are red flags you look for when reviewing resumes, doing interviews—what are some issues that thwart candidates?
Job jumping, poorly written resumes, history of contracting.
What kind of non-IT skills do your IT team members need, if any?
The ability to collaborate, be ambitious and a willingness to accept change. Be a self starter!
Is the IT organization looking for certified skills, is that a must have or is there any other qualification that is a must have?
No
Does the organization hire 'newbies' and invest in training and how well does that work, and if not, why not?
Yes, we have a comprehensive Employee Value Program to train and develop our employees.
What does your company offer IT specialists as an employer?
We offer 18 PTO days to start and ability to purchase up to an additional five days. We have a matching 401k (match 50% up to 6%). We have a retirement plan in addition to our 401k. We offer tuition reimbursement and pay for certifications. Various bonus programs as well.
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