[caption id="attachment_136011" align="aligncenter" width="616"] Among other things, a risk manager should consider: Does this job candidate fit the company culture? (iStock)[/caption] Hiring the right people is one of the most critical jobs of any risk manager. In a world of shrinking budgets and expense reduction, each hiring opportunity is golden. It's even more critical now as an employee's willingness to stay long-term with any employer is a constant challenge. Related: How to recruit millennials to the P&C insurance industry In my more than 32 years in risk consulting, there has been no single hiring approach that works all the time. But here are some things I've learned along the way…

Real-world example

For Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) in North America, the Associate Program is an initiative to help build a strong and diverse talent pipeline of future leaders and experts. Target participants are college graduates and internal candidates with limited experience. For career development, our Navigator program assists future managers and experts by helping to cultivate their business-relevant talent. Another example is our Underwriting Academy, which focuses on delivering technical excellence. Training modules cover underwriting, pricing and loss control engineering; they also include courses on reinsurance and claims. Regardless of approach, risk management should be embedded within the culture of an organization so that everyone is focused on managing and mitigating risk. Thomas Varney ([email protected]) is regional manager, Allianz Risk Consulting, Americas. See also: Insurance careers: What do insurance professionals really do 10 reasons why an insurance career is great for millennials AI will save insurance jobs, not kill them