Co-operators

 

June 2022 Employer Spotlight

Co-operators

The Youth Employment Centre (YEC) asked Co-operators to answer a few questions about their company. 

Please provide a short description of what your company does including the following: 

At Co-operators, we exist to strengthen the financial security of Canadians and their communities. This is our mission and our social purpose.

How long have you been in business?

5 years.

How many locations do you have in Calgary and nationally/internationally? What locations are hiring locally in Calgary and area? 

We have 20 locations in Calgary and hundreds more across the country.

How many people does your organization employ? How many locally? 

I believe on a national level we employ over 5000 people, locally hard to put a number on as we have our 20 locations plus one corporate head office in Calgary. Locally I would for sure say over 200 employees.

What type of positions do you offer?  (ex. full-time, part-time, seasonal, contract etc.) 

We offer multiple position types such as full time, part time, and contract positions.

What are the benefits of working for your company? Staff discounts, incentive programs, scholarships etc. 

One big one is you will get a discount on your insurance. Also the company is a big believer in developing internally so you are given the chance to develop your education further in the insurance field which they pay for such as getting additional licenses.

Describe opportunities for advancement. 

The company is big in promoting within and if you want to advance your career within the company you are given every opportunity to. If you start out selling insurance in our agencies you could potentially move to a corporate role later. For example, if you become a expert on selling commercial insurance you could move into a commercial trainer role with the company later on as I did.

List any corporate responsibility initiatives that your organization is currently involved in. 

We are a big believer in being environmentally responsible, so we have given our clients the option to be paperless. Also, our company is big on diversity and mental health where we have our current employees take workshops and learning to become better educated in these topics.

How would someone find out about opportunities at your company? How can a candidate apply? 

By going to our website and looking in the careers section here. Many of our jobs to work in our agencies selling insurance also get posted on Indeed.

Describe your hiring and interview process? 

It consists of 2 rounds of interviews usually. 

The first interview is usually done by a recruiter who works for Co-operators such as me asking behavior-based questions. 

If the recruiter thinks you will be a fit for the position, they will invite you to do a criminal and credit check. 

If everything comes back clear the actual hiring manager will reach out to do the last interview and if successful, you will be offered the position.

What do you look for in an employee? 

Someone who has a lot of customer service experience, who is independent, is not afraid to learn new things, and wants to continue to develop their skills.

What type of education/training/equipment do you require? 

If you want to work in one of our agencies selling insurance getting your General Insurance License Level 1 will put you ahead of other candidates. 

If you do not have your license and you get hired you usually have 3 months to get your license from the time you are hired which the company will support you in from a financial standpoint.

What is the minimum age required to work for your company? Are there different age requirements for different positions? 

18 years old. 

Provide a wage range for entry level positions. 

$35,000 - $45,000/year

What are the hours of the business and general shift times? Are there a minimum number of hours someone needs to work per week? Is there flexibility regarding school schedules? 

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday. 

There is flexibility depending on what role you are in.

Is a uniform provided or do employees have to pay for it? 

No uniform business casual if in office.

For more information about Co-operators please visit their website here.