Gabrielle Cappadona and her twin sister made a pact to go to college together and study business. While her sister decided to major in accounting, Gabrielle had trouble making her mind up.
She knew that she didn’t want to study accounting, and she wasn’t that interested in finance, either. Then a campus tour guide at St. John’s University who first suggested that she check out the school of risk management. The rest, Gabrielle says, is history.
“The insurance industry is such a hidden gem in the business world,” Gabrielle said. “Most people don’t consider it as a career opportunity, but it gives you a whole new perspective on life. You end up bonding with people because they also work in insurance.”
Gabrielle works as an associate treaty underwriter at Swiss Re, where she says that every day is different and she always learns something new. After graduating (a year early), Gabrielle assumed that her career would keep her in New York City. But when an opportunity with Swiss Re in the Chicago area presented itself, she jumped at it.
“There are so many insurance and reinsurance organizations in Manhattan, I didn’t see myself moving. But life happens like that. Opportunities come up. Given Swiss Re’s reputation and the opportunities that came with it, I knew this was the right move. I don’t regret it for a minute.”
As a self-described people person, Gabrielle loves that the insurance industry is based on relationships. She says one of the biggest perks of her job is travelling to meet clients and colleagues around the world, including a month-long trip to Swiss Re headquarters in Zurich, where she admits that she may have indulged in “all the chocolate and cheese known to man.”
Gabrielle said that working for such an esteemed organization with a culture of exploring new ideas and perspectives guarantees that she has the support she needs to grow her career.
“You can walk into anyone’s office and people will drop what they’re doing to help you,” she said. “They’re more than happy to speak to you about their careers and what they’ve learned over time.”
Because Gabrielle graduated a year early, she and her sister won’t be able to compare careers until her sister starts working this fall. But Gabrielle already knows that she loves the risk management and insurance industry. She believes that more people starting their careers should keep an open mind and consider it.
“You’d be surprised how many people turn things down because they’re afraid or think they won’t like it,” she said. “When you think about it, none of us can function without insurance. Look at the skylines of Manhattan, London, Tokyo or Paris. Those are there because of insurance. Risk is all around us, and that’s a good thing. There’s a whole industry around it — people should check it out.”
To learn more about why other young professionals recommend the insurance industry, read more profiles here.
