North Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Interview Questions
& Process

The first interview was brief, and the manager seemed unprepared. He read questions from a printed sheet, likely for the first time. An online timed psychological assessment was also part of it. In the second interview, he listed things you shouldn't ask during an interview, though he'd asked me those very things in the first one. There was another online questionnaire, this time about sales, even though it wasn't a sales role. I was never contacted again, which I found unprofessional. After a second interview, at minimum, they should've sent an email saying they were moving in a different direction.

I applied through a staffing agency that works with NCFB. A delivery manager reached out about the job description and mentioned it was a contract-to-hire role. They scheduled a phone interview with the hiring manager. They weren't very flexible with scheduling, booking me during work hours without checking my availability, which I found a bit inconsiderate for someone already working. The phone interview was an hour long, which is longer than usual for phone screens. I was also surprised to find out technical questions would be included in this initial call, as the job description suggested only a personality screen and role explanation at this stage, with technical questions in later rounds. The hiring manager started with behavioral questions after explaining the role. Then, two other team members asked me technical questions about Java, HTML, and CSS. I thought asking about HTML and CSS was a bit odd since they weren't directly relevant to the job description, even though they were on my resume. The next day, the delivery manager let me know the hiring manager decided to move forward with other candidates, citing a personality mismatch.

The interview process itself was pretty straightforward, but the specific Agency Branch I was hired for required me to come in multiple times. I initially thought it was just me, but over the years, I've realized this is actually the standard procedure. It's not uncommon to have four or five meetings. People often joke that even the FBI has a simpler interview process. Just to be clear, while each branch is part of the larger organization, they often operate independently. The Agency Manager has the authority to either shorten or extend the process based on their preference or how quickly they need to fill a position. Keep in mind, the role you're applying for is where you'll stay until you relocate or retire. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there's no opportunity for advancement or movement within the Agency Branch's hierarchy. This isn't just my opinion; it's based on facts. As a current District Manager at NCFB said, 'your position is not a stepping stone to another.' Vertical movement just doesn't happen if you're hired as support staff. It's simply not done. In my case, I was perfectly content within my comfort zone. However, for many colleagues, this leads to high turnover. Alarmingly, a large number of employees come and go. The typical lifespan for a CSR or AA is 2-3 years. Remember, the people who interview you are essentially 'Salesmen'! They are very skilled at avoiding direct questions and using diversion tactics. Buyer beware!

I was referred by a friend to the Agency Manager. There are several interviews - first with the manager, then with both the manager and the Agent I would be reporting to. There's also a timed test that you have to pass to be offered a position, even if the manager wants to hire you. It's not a quick process, but I think a reputable company takes its time finding the right person to reduce turnover. Farm Bureau generally doesn't call back all applicants to let them know they didn't get the position. Someone called this a "professional courtesy." Maybe it would be nice, but Farm Bureau is a big and busy company and doesn't have the resources to call back 25 people to say they failed the test. The Farm Bureau offices I've seen are all professional. The men wear ties and the Associate Agents wear nice, business casual clothes. Dress appropriately for an interview with NCFB. Trust me, no wet hair, flip flops or jeans when you are going to ANY interview.