California Casualty Interview Questions
& Process

It began with a phone call from HR. They asked me situational questions about the job and some behavioral questions. They also asked about my salary expectations. Then, there was an hour-long technical interview with two people on the panel. I did great, and they asked me for FIVE professional references, with two needing to be from a manager, which felt like a lot more than the usual three. I still gave them the references. They also made me do a background check that took about 10 days to clear. While the background check was still going on, the hiring manager called me with a verbal offer. The offer was about 20% lower than the market rate. I told them it was way below what I told HR I expected. I asked if there were other benefits, and they mentioned a 401(k) match and a yearly bonus but couldn't give specific numbers and said they'd get back to me. They also hinted at a possible higher offer and that I'd hear back soon. I followed up a week later about negotiating, but they ghosted me. It's really unprofessional to go through all that and then just stop talking. They could have at least said it was their final offer instead of leaving me hanging. But honestly, it showed me their true colors, and I wouldn't want to work there anyway.

The recruiter called and asked questions not really related to my background or experience. They then gave a long presentation about the company that wasn't really needed. The recruiter used a script and didn't tailor it to me, even explaining licensing classes even though I'm already licensed. They read a disclosure about criminal behavior being grounds for termination, which is weird because licensed producers can't have criminal records. They also mentioned I'd have to pay for licenses in 40+ states, with a loan offered, which seemed odd. The recruiter admitted the software isn't current, which is strange for a higher-end product. I questioned how a high-priced product for a niche market sold as a 'benefit' to heroes could be affordable. The recruiter couldn't answer specific job questions and just repeated the job posting. They were typing answers, which felt inefficient compared to a regular application. The initial testing was typical for a company this size, with STAR behavioral questions. This interview really killed my excitement for the company; the recruiting process felt more like a solicitation than an invitation and was pretty painful, as another reviewer said.

I sent in my application online back in early October. About three weeks later, I got a call for a phone interview. It was set for the same week and went for a bit over an hour. The first thirty minutes were like a company presentation, which I actually liked because most of my questions got answered then. After that, it was a Q&A part focusing on situational, job-related scenarios. They wanted specific, detailed examples, and they wrote down my answers. Once that was done, they mentioned I'd be hearing from the hiring managers for an in-person interview. I got that call about 10 days later. I went in for two in-person interviews over the next week. I got a call later that week with a job offer. The whole thing took about 6 weeks and involved 1 phone interview, 2 skills assessment tests, checking 5 professional references, and 2 in-person interviews.

The interview process went fine until I met with management. The regional manager was unprofessional. I didn't get an offer, but I wouldn't have taken it anyway. Their expectations for a candidate didn't match their pay range, which was unacceptable, and a lot of their methods were old-fashioned. The job, as management described it, involved high expectations for low pay with bad tools. It might be an okay starting job if you're trying to get into insurance right after school, but don't plan on staying long.