I applied online. The process took 1+ week. I interviewed at Travelers in Apr 2015
Interview
I came here because I wanted to see if others experienced what I did with my initial phone screen: The HR person asked me approximately 25 minutes of questions from a prepared checklist consisting entirely of yes and no questions and questions that required ONLY a one word answer. There was little she couldn't have learned from my resume/job application. She didn't seem to have read my application and didn't seem to be familiar with my employer (an industry competitor) and was definitely unwilling to use the information on my resume as a spring board to learn more about me ("I saw you did X at company Y, tell me more about that experience" -- NONE of this type of open-ended questioning). She made it clear several times that she wouldn't be satisfied with anything that didn't fit a specific yes/no/number/one-word-answer box on her checklist. After 25 minutes of responding only with "Yes ... Yes ... 7 ... yes .... no .... 5, er 6 .... no ..... ye-sss .... 5...." I was really wondering about the culture at Travelers. The HR interviewer asked the questions in a way that was very short and quick which, to me, came off as a bit rude and cold. Is the job market still so bad that Travelers can afford to treat prospective employees in this poking, prodding sort of way? I have a fair amount of experience and abilities to offer my next employer, but the HR person made sure to hammer me back into her checklist any time I tried to expand on an answer or provide some insight into what sort of experience I actually bring to the table. My experience with most/all other phone screen interviews is that it's condcuted by both parties with courtesy and respect, and that it's a process of give and take where I have a chance to actually speak and ask questions and receive a bit of information, in addition to answering questions. The HR person didn't learn much about me (that's not already in my application), while her conduct left me with a negative initial impression of Travelers.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Initial interview was 95% yes/no ("are you subject to a noncompet?" "do you have Auto experience?" "Are you certified in X?") or one word responses ("How many years have you X certification?" "how many years experience with WC?") - they were prepared questions. If you try to give more than a number or Yes/No response she will cut you off (and not always politely). At the end she asked what questions I had and when I asked her to tell me more about the job she didn't provide much information that wasn't in the the two parargraph job description. My impression was that she didn't know much about the opening or the office where it's located, or she wanted me to ask a less open-ended question so she could answer yes or no.
Courteous HR professional through the whole process and kept me up to date proactively. Had a great experienced with technical managers and hiring manager; great targeted questions and on point.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What is my experience in Underwriting and in reviewing/updating wordings?
Zoom interview The interview process was well-organized and professional. I received clear instructions about the interview format and logistics ahead of time, which helped me prepare effectively. The interview started on time, and the environment was welcoming and respectful.
I applied online. I interviewed at Travelers (New York, NY) in Oct 2023
Interview
Multi-level process. Excellent coordination between hiring business unit and HR. Everyone that I met with was engaged in the process. Everyone that I met with was professional and considerate. Excellent follow-up.