My Path to HJI: Corinna Swerig, Commercial Lines Associate

Welcome to the next post in our blog series: My Path to HJI. These are stories from associates on how they got started in insurance, what led them to their role at Hausmann-Johnson Insurance, and advice for others thinking about making a start in the industry.

This week's featured associate is Corinna Swerig. Read on to learn more about Corinna and connect with her on LinkedIn if you'd like!

What’s your role at HJI?

My role at HJI is a Commercial Lines Associate in our Large Commercial P&C Insurance department. I support multiple account managers and producers through their entire relationship building and maintaining process with our clients.

What was your career path that led you to HJI and your current role?

Through college I strived to gain my BBA and then pursue Finance. Insurance was just a small part of the picture when it came to classes available. I was working in a credit union at the time and didn’t see an open door there, so I took to LinkedIn. Every college student could only hope to take that “Hired Before Graduation” photo! I had found an internship opportunity working for an insurance broker, similar to ours, in the Madison area. I’m thankful for everything I learned and all the opportunities presented to me but again, there wasn’t an open door there either. However, I knew at the time I wanted to stay in the insurance industry. I found Hausmann-Johnson on LinkedIn and gave it a shot. 2+ years later and it’s been an exciting ride.

What do you wish you’d known when you were just starting out?

When I first graduated and started working full-time I thought that I HAD to have a career path and that if I didn’t have my career planned out to a ‘T’ that I would be lost and unhappy. It turns out that while it’s not a bad thing to have at least a rough plan, it’s not necessary, and this industry changes so much that you have to be flexible as well. I have to thank my manager and co-workers for helping me grow as an insurance expert and realizing this.

What inspires you to come to work every day?

Knowing that our industry is changing and evolving in a positive direction inspires me to go to work every day. I look at the things we do compared to our competitors and have to sit back and say to myself, “Wow, we always look for ways to help our community, have fun, and make a difference to the people we serve and we don’t just say we’re going to make a difference - we do”.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How does that influence what you are doing now?

I grew up with dogs, cats, and horses and ALWAYS wanted to be a vet. In college, one of the main things going through my mind was I wanted to find a job where I could make a lot of money, be able to have a family eventually, and spend most of my time outside of the office. My role at HJI allows me to do that and presents opportunities that help me work towards reaching my goals. A huge reason why I didn’t pursue being a vet is I could barely handle losing a pet in our family. I give a lot of credit to the men and women out there taking care of all our pets. I landed in a role helping people instead.

What advice would you give someone thinking about going into insurance/starting their career?

Keep in touch with people that leave a positive impression on you and don’t be afraid to grab lunch or a coffee with them. There are a handful of individuals that I still talk to who have more experience in the industry and I value their advice and wisdom. Without those connections I’m not sure where I would be right now.

Tell us a bit about yourself outside of work.

Outside of work I help out at many events coordinated by our local volunteer fire department. I enjoy spending time with friends and family whether we’re horseback riding or out on the boat. You can often find me at a country music concert or on the trails with our UTV in northern Wisconsin on the weekends. Some of the best days are spent taking our dog, Gunner, on long walks and then relaxing by the campfire in the warmer months.  I’m always up for new adventures and hope to travel more in the future.