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Allstaters Support Domestic Violence Awareness Month Through The Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse Program

October 28, 2019/in All Blogs, Why Allstate /by

It’s an important time of the year that Allstaters come together to raise awareness of a critical issue impacting one in four women.

Allstate offices across the country are hosting Purple Purse activities throughout the month of October to support Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Kristy is a Claims Strategic Research Consultant currently on a talent share on the The Allstate Foundation Purple Purse team. Talent shares are short-term development opportunities designed to provide Allstaters access to short-term projects and experiences outside of their current roles.

As part of her six-week talent share, she’s helping coordinate the Northbrook, IL supply drive to support three local domestic violence nonprofits during the month of October. Employees can donate toiletries at one of the supply drive boxes located throughout the Northbrook campus or purchase an item from an Amazon Wishlist for easy ordering.

Outside of Northbrook, Allstate offices across the country are hosting Purple Purse activities as well. This year, there are 140 Purple Purse coordinators across 65 Allstate offices. A Purple Purse coordinator is an Allstate employee who has raised their hand to lead domestic violence and financial abuse awareness events or volunteer projects for their team, department or office in October. They host an event of their choice, plan and run it, while Kristy provides support to them along the way.

“It is great to see the passion that the coordinators have and the stories that come out of it. One woman spoke to me about how she wanted to do more, and it shows how much Allstaters truly care,” she shares. As she is wrapping up her talent share, she’s confident that she will be taking communication skills back to her role.

The Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse program is dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic violence through financial empowerment. Visit https://www.purplepurse.com/ to learn more.

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Allstate’s First Global Learning Week

October 3, 2019/in All Blogs, Why Allstate /by

It’s an exciting week at Allstate. This is our first ever Global Learning Week. Global Learning Week focuses on continuous learning and development, while providing employees opportunities to hear from speakers who are experts in a variety of different fields.

Global Learning Week is part of Allstate’s culture of learning and supporting employees’ development. Allstate is committed to preparing employees for the careers of the future, and Global Learning Week gives employees the opportunity to explore all different topics of interest.

Global Learning Week 2019 will focus on four themes: problem solving and critical thinking, communication and collaboration, data and analytics, and cyber security and future of work. Each day this week there are three to four global sessions that all employees can watch via a live-stream.

In addition, site leaders at each office have planned specialized sessions called Spark Topics for their areas depending on topics of interest and business goals. Spark topics will take place in offices around the country led by site leaders or Global Learning Week Catalysts.

Erik, regional claim leader in the Kansas City Market Claim Office and Global Learning Week catalyst, shared how his office is taking part in the week’s activities.

“During the week, a big theme – which a lot of our sessions will cover – is change. Claims, as well as most of the organization, is going through a lot of change. As change is

happening, we have to continue to re-educate ourselves and reinvigorate our development to meet the demands of that change. As the industry moves toward a metric-centric or tech-centric environment, we have to retool. Global Learning Week is a great time for us to celebrate the opportunity to have these viewing experiences, but also look at and discuss as teams: How can we sustain that change moving forward?

We chose to pick one global session each day to feature in our office that was relevant to our business. Our sessions focus on embracing change, putting the customer first, leading from our seats, being courageous and being an adopter.

We also have Spark sessions. I’m leading one of those, a developmental discussion. It’s on the three pillars of success: performance, behaviors and presence. These are all part of an employee’s development. What I’m trying to do is engage front-line leaders and discuss their personal development plans – and how it fits into these three pillars. We hope this will lead into a conversation about creating a development plan.

I’m 28 years into my Claims profession. At this point, I feel I’m looked upon as a resource to help teach, coach and help others learn. But in a lot of those transactions, I’m learning just as much. Let’s face it: As we’re going through all this change, we have an influx of new talent, new faces, new personalities and new generations. Global Learning Week is a chance for me to get to know new people and things – and learn for myself, as well.”

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Employee Spotlight: Alexis, Business Operations Audit Lead

September 30, 2019/in All Blogs, Employee Spotlights /by

Alexis joined Allstate after graduating from Tulane University last year.

Tell us about your Allstate story.

After graduating last year, I joined Allstate in June 2018 as a Staff Internal Auditor. I have had the opportunity to support operational audits across different areas of the enterprise including Marketing, Allstate Dealer Services, Allstate Personal Lines, Allstate Billing Insurance, SquareTrade and Allstate India. In addition to audit work, I have contributed to my department by helping develop and lead a new onboarding program for new hire development. In the past year, I have been given opportunities and support to grow as a project leader and was recently promoted to Lead Auditor.

What made you decide to join the company?

It’s interesting because I don’t have an audit background, but I felt like my unique perspectives would be appreciated in my department and at Allstate. The reason Allstate stood out to me is that there are so many opportunities within the company. My team is invested in my long-term goals even if those goals consist of exploring different areas of the company. There’s also a lot of pride around working for Allstate that I have experienced from many long-term Allstaters. There are people I’ve met who just started after college, people who are starting their family and people who have been at the company for 30 years!

What are your favorite parts about your job, the team, and the workspace?

Our team is very collaborative, and it always makes projects more interesting by having everyone work together. It also doesn’t matter what position you are in, you always have a seat at the table. The team is invested in helping you accomplish your long-term goals. If I have an interest in investments or marketing, I know my team will connect me with someone in that area or place me on a project in that area. There is also a huge focus and support on development, whether it’s pursing your MBA or a certification. I’m currently pursing my Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification and I’m considering starting a part-time MBA program in the spring and my team is supportive of this.

What work are you most proud of?

The work I’m most proud of is the contributions to the projects I have been placed on. Seeing things that I did on day one published in the final audit report is a great feeling of accomplishment. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel for audit engagements, and it is always a feeling of pride to represent Allstate and my department. In March, I traveled to Allstate India for two weeks to analyze the business operations and it was very interesting to learn how Allstate operates globally and to see the bigger impact.

What values are important to you at a job?

Making an impact to my company, contributing to my team overall and ensuring my role fits into my long-term career goals are values that are important to me. I experience these values at Allstate because I know my work contributes to the well-being of the company and that it makes an impact whether it’s to an existing or future process.

What qualities do people need to be successful here?

Creative thinking, adaptive work ethic and problem-solving skills. If you’re interested in looking at a large company through various lenses that helps you in your career, Internal Audit is the place for you.

Any advice for someone who is considering working at Allstate?

Do it! Allstate is a really great place to figure out what you want to do and a great place to work whether you are just starting your career or further along in your professional journey.

Outside of work you can be found doing?

Planning my next trip! We have a very generous PTO policy, so it helps with traveling.

Fun fact: I’m deaf in one ear, I have visited five different countries in the last six months and have plans to visit another six countries in the next six months!

Interested in joining our audit team? Search open roles today.

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Employee Spotlight: Danny, Release Train Engineer in Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures (ATSV) in Irving, Texas.

September 23, 2019/in All Blogs, Employee Spotlights, Technology and Innovation /by

Allstate fosters a culture of personal growth and development. Danny’s career journey is a prime example of it!

When did you join Allstate?

I joined Allstate about eight years ago as a Claims Adjuster. Today, I am a Release Train Engineer where I manage the agile space. I am responsible for facilitating communication and aligning agile teams to deliver value to the organization.

What made you decide to join the company?

In the beginning, I wanted to find a job with a big corporation. I had a friend that worked as an adjuster for Allstate and decided to join. I know I had to start somewhere to get my foot in the door.

What’s different about Allstate?

The size of the company and its flexibility. What I mean by flexibility is that you can move anywhere in the company, even if it’s outside your normal job family. In addition, Allstate provides a great work-life balance.

What work are you most proud of?

A lot of the work we do is with the Underwriters. The enhancements we’ve made to the Underwriter platform to make it easier for them to analyze risk and establish pricing makes me most proud.

What values are important to you at a job?

Empowerment. I like the fact that I can do what I think is right and lead with that idea.

How do you experience those values here?

I have freedom and have had the opportunity to work with great managers. They don’t micromanage and support my ideas.

What are your biggest motivators at work?

The fact at the end of the day, we are making a difference for the customers. By helping the underwriters, we are in return helping the customers. Everything is connected and all the projects I am a part of have a major impact for everyone.

What are your favorite parts about your job, the team, and the workspace?

I like the fact that I work with people all over the world. This includes Ireland, India, and various parts of the U.S. By building and learning about all the different cultures and values from each region, we get to grow together.

What qualities do people need to be successful here?

Grit and drive because sometimes it’ll take time to learn things. At Allstate, you need to have the drive to always want to improve and learn more for yourself, your team and your customers.

Any advice for someone who is considering working at Allstate?

Don’t limit yourself to one position at Allstate. You have the opportunity to move wherever you want and remember that just because you don’t get a call back from one position, it doesn’t mean you won’t get called back from another. Recruiters will work with you to find different positions so be flexible.

Outside of work you can be found doing?

I love traveling. This year I’ll be going to Australia!

Fun fact: I learned how to cut my own hair, so I have not been to a barbershop in about 15 years.

Interested in joining Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures? Search open roles today.

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Employee Spotlight: Danielle, Senior Associate Counsel, Dispute Resolution Services

September 18, 2019/in All Blogs, Employee Spotlights /by

Danielle is a Claim Litigation Attorney in the Dispute Resolution Services group and attended the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore, Maryland.

When did you join Allstate?

I joined Allstate in January 2019 as a Senior Associate Counsel in Claim Litigation in the Dispute Resolution Services group. Claim Litigation provides legal advice and counsel related to the resolution of disputes. We provide advice and counsel on matters that are not in litigation in addition to those that are in litigation and those moving toward litigation.

What made you decide to join the company?

I was looking for a challenging position where I would have the ability to use my skills as a trial attorney to provide guidance and assistance. During my research of Allstate, I saw a commitment to diversity and inclusion and an emphasis on work-life balance. These three attributes combined were very important to me in making my decision to ultimately apply and come work for Allstate.

What’s different from Allstate?

The employee resource groups (ERG) are really great and further the purpose of Allstate’s commitment to inclusive diversity. I’m a member of Parents Working Together (PWT) and the African American Working Network (AAWN). There are many opportunities to step out of your subject matter expertise and learn new things, which is encouraging when it comes to developing yourself. If you’re interested in learning more about an area within the Law & Regulation department, you’re encouraged to do so. If there’s an area you want to be more involved with that isn’t with the department, that’s also available.

What work are you most proud of?

The work I’m most proud of at Allstate is outside of my day-to-day work responsibilities and perhaps not the traditional definition of work. Since 2005, Law & Regulation has participated in Street Law’s Legal Diversity Pipeline Program. Every year, members of Law & Regulation volunteer their time and teach law to students at local high schools. As a volunteer, I was able to teach a class this past spring about intimate partner violence. Intimate partner violence (commonly known as “domestic violence”) is a subject matter I am professionally familiar with, and passionate about, as both a former prosecutor and a former law clerk in the domestic violence unit of the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office. In April, I participated in a one-day culminating event where those same students I previously mentioned came to our Home Office and participated in mock trials, mock oral arguments, etc. The students were very engaged, it was a fulfilling experience, and everyone had a wonderful time.

Are there other things you’re involved with at Allstate?

During Bring Out the Good Month, I had the opportunity to go downtown and watch a clemency hearing. This is something I have an interest in given my background in criminal law, and just recently I received my first case. This is great for me because I can combine my work with my other area of expertise. Through Allstate and Bring Out the Good Month, I had the opportunity to volunteer with Bernie’s Book Bank which is a non-profit organization that donates new and used books to children in the Chicagoland area. I also had the opportunity to volunteer with, and provide clothing donations, Cradles to Crayon which is a non-profit organization that provides children who are homeless or living in low-income situations with essential items they need. I am also presently a Law and Regulation Catalyst for Allstate’s 2019 Global Learning Week. Global Learning Week is a week filled with great learning events and is also another example of Allstate’s encouragement of continuous learning. As a member of the Law & Regulation Catalyst team, I will be working with a team of catalysts to get the word out about the learning events available during this week.

What are your favorite parts of your job and team?

My favorite part of my job is that I love that I’m still involved with litigation. I also receive a lot of exposure to new legal topics (things are always changing in law) and I enjoy reviewing new case law and evaluating the applicability to matters I am involved with. As far as my team, we are a very collaborative group, with different professional backgrounds, which makes for interesting discussions because of the diverse perspectives. There is a wealth of legal knowledge in Claim Litigation.

What qualities do people need to be successful here?

You need to have the ability to adapt because things are always changing, especially with law. Litigation moves at two speeds, fast and slow. When it moves fast, you need to be able to respond promptly and appropriately and that requires adaptability and flexibility. Everyone appreciates someone who can quickly adapt to change, especially unexpected change.

Outside of work you can be found doing?

I’m not a Chicago native, so I’m often exploring the city and surrounding suburbs via kids’ activities with my family.

Fun fact: I’m a big Beyoncé fan. I have been to every single tour that she has ever had, both solo and in a group.

Interested in joining our legal team? Search open roles today.

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Employee Spotlight: Nick, IT & Security Audit Lead

September 17, 2019/in All Blogs, Employee Spotlights, Technology and Innovation /by

From undergrad to Allstate, meet Nick an IT & Security Audit Lead

Tell us about your Allstate story.

After graduating from Iowa State University, I joined Allstate in June of 2018 as an IT Auditor in the Internal Audit department. Since my time at Allstate, I have had the opportunity to support the audit process by helping support and lead various technology and business area audits. Earlier this summer I was promoted to IT & Security Audit Lead where I became responsible for leading an audit engagement from start to finish which included ownership of audit artifacts, interaction with various senior leaders of Allstate and ultimately leading and responsible for the entire audit process from the cradle to the grave.

Why Allstate?

When I first graduated from college, I set out to find a company to work for that had a good culture. It was important for me to join a company where the people around you, including management, set you up for success, support each other, and provide many opportunities for growth. After joining Allstate, I quickly discovered that it is more than just an insurance company. Allstate provides opportunities to work with various emerging technologies, cybersecurity, IT operations, as well as a vast amount of data analytic opportunities.

What work are you most proud of?

I am probably most proud of the two projects that I am currently working on. I’m working as the project lead for the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud security and governance audit where we’re reviewing the overall governance and security posture of the environment across the enterprise, in addition to other granular controls. I am also involved in performing a European Union General Data Regulation (GDPR) readiness assessment for one of Allstate’s subsidiaries. The goal here is to ensure sufficient controls are designed and operating effectively to ensure current processes abide by these regulations. It is so rewarding when outcomes from engagements such as these make tangible changes within a business or across the enterprise.

What are your favorite parts of your team?

My team truly promotes work-life balance and team bonding activities. For example, just this past year we have gone to a Cubs game, an architectural boat tour of Chicago, a scavenger hunt downtown, and a variety of other fun activities. I also enjoy the flexibility of working from home once a week or more if needed. Since I joined the Internal Audit team, I have traveled for audit work and learned more about some of our subsidiary companies such as Answer Financial in Los Angeles and Square Trade in San Francisco, in addition to attending a few seminars and conferences in other locations in the USA.

How does Allstate support your development?

Allstate does a great job in supporting personal and professional development, including covering costs and time dedicated to professional certifications and exam prep materials. I recently received my AWS cloud practitioner certification after being involved in an enterprise audit engagement of Amazon Web Services. I thought it would be a great idea to add the certification to my background to support my development and continued education. I’m also currently wrapping up my Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certification and plan to take the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam shortly after that.

How are you involved at Allstate?

I’m very involved in our Centers of Excellence (COE) teams within the department. Specifically, I am involved in three COE initiatives within Audit: Data Analytics, Fraud, and Process Improvement. It’s a unique opportunity to get involved in these and to learn from individuals who are very knowledgeable and have years to experience within these spaces. You can build your skills and participate in projects outside of your everyday work, which can help set you apart.

Outside of work you can be found doing?

I love hanging out with my friends and taking my motorcycle out on nice days.

Fun fact: I recently took a 10-day trip to Ireland and saw a Castle named the same as my surname. It was exciting to see since our family can trace our ancestry back to this area in Ireland.

Interested in joining our audit team? Search open roles today.

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Employee Spotlight: Lisa, Senior Lead Internal Auditor

September 17, 2019/in All Blogs, Employee Spotlights /by

From Grad School to Allstate, meet Lisa a Senior Lead Internal Auditor and a big Michigan Wolverine fan

Tell us more about your Allstate journey.

I joined Allstate in February 2017 as an Internal Staff Auditor where I assisted the Lead Auditor with assignments such as putting deliverables together, documenting audit work within a workpaper and a few SOX projects. After a year, I was promoted to a Lead Auditor, where I became responsible for the project management of the entire audit. Currently, I am a Senior Lead Internal Auditor leading various audit and advisory engagements across the organization.

What attracted you to Allstate?

Upon graduating with my master’s degree, I knew I wanted to stay in the auditing profession, but I also wanted to branch out and learn something new. There are numerous opportunities for Internal Auditing professionals, but Allstate attracted my attention because of their continued investment in their workforce’s professional development and because they’re one of the largest insurance providers! There are a lot of career opportunities within the company and being part of the Internal Audit department provides me with many career learning experiences in such a short period of time.

What’s different about Allstate?

Allstate is the good hands company – and it really shows! Allstate encourages their people to volunteer and donate throughout the year and has been voted the most ethical company for the last five years. I enjoy giving back to the community through this great company and supporting the nonprofit organizations that are near and dear to me.

What work are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the variety of engagements I have worked on as a Staff Auditor and the projects that I have managed as a Lead Auditor. I have been able to quickly learn and perform the necessary research on the audited processes in order to successfully complete the audits. These successful engagements have resulted in value added findings that will be reviewed and improved upon by the business process owners.

What values are important to you at a job?

The values that are important to me at a job are the variety of challenging projects, having the opportunity to influence change for the betterment of the company, and the opportunities to demonstrate my leadership skills.

What are your biggest motivators at work?

I am motivated by challenging projects and engagements and the opportunities to expand my network across the organization because of the various projects I work on. Each audit or advisory engagement is an opportunity to learn a new part of the business and to connect with various leaders.

What are your favorite parts about your job, the team, and the workspace?

My favorite parts about the job are working on a wide variety of audits across the organization and the size of the Internal Audit team. The audit team, consisting of the Director, Manager, Lead, and Staff, is always different for each engagement and I really enjoy having the opportunity to work with a diverse group of people. You are encouraged to participate in a variety of projects and your feedback to your managers is usually considered for future assignment scheduling.

What qualities do people need to be successful here?

In order to be successful here, you need to be comfortable working in a team environment with a diverse group of people at all levels, including senior management, and also demonstrate compassion for what you do.

Any advice for someone who is considering working at Allstate?

The opportunities at Allstate are endless! Also, Allstate will invest in your career development through various leadership programs and will provide the educational materials you need to successfully pursue a professional certification.

How has Allstate supported your development?

Allstate has supported my development in numerous ways! I am currently pursuing the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Certification. Allstate has supported me with this by providing me with all the study materials and assisting with the exam fees. I also have the flexibility with my work schedule to study and prepare for the exams. Additionally, I was nominated and selected to participate in the One Finance Leadership Academy. The One Finance Leadership Academy is a 9-month program that provides participants with multiple learning, engagement, and development opportunities. The academy afforded me the opportunity to network and work with a group of Finance professionals across the organization and present on an executive-sponsored capstone project on the day of graduation.

Outside of work you can be found doing?

Outside of work you can find me running, participating in weight training classes, studying for my CIA certification or just relaxing and spending time with family and friends!

Fun fact: I moved to the Chicagoland area from Ann Arbor, MI. I am a big Michigan Wolverine fan and obtained my Master’s in Accounting from the University of Michigan. During this time, I also worked on the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus as an Auditor!

Interested in joining our audit team? Search open roles today.

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Employee Spotlight: Kelly, Cloud Engineer in ATSV at the Railyard, Charlotte, NC

September 17, 2019/in All Blogs, Employee Spotlights, Technology and Innovation /by

Kelly decided to change her career path and found her calling in Cloud Engineering.

Tell us about your Allstate story:

I joined Allstate in January of 2006 as a Communications Consultant in New York with the primary responsibility of establishing agencies in their local communities. From there, I assumed a variety of other roles including media relations, corporate social responsibility and product communications. After a while, I decided to take a step back and rethink my future career path. I took some self-assessments to evaluate my skills and interests, which led me to explore positions in technology. I found a Cloud Engineering Talent Share opportunity, where I spent eight weeks working on the Cloud Engineering team and developed a broad understanding of the team, business practices and day-to-day responsibilities. After the talent share ended, I transitioned full-time to the team in May. I’m currently working with my team on enabling Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud services internally and launching Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) products in a marketplace.

What made you decide to join the company?

After working in the public sector for seven years in the local government, I felt it was time to transition to a corporation with communications being in my background. Someone I had worked with started at Allstate and told me about a communications opening that was local to home. They explained the growth opportunities that Allstate offered so I decided to apply.

What’s different about Allstate?

The leadership truly believes in helping people grow and encourages employees to develop themselves. They understand that the world is changing fast and people need to adapt and learn new skills.

What work are you most proud of?

The fact that after working in communications for 20 years I switched paths to engineering. I had the biggest learning curve out of anyone in my talent share and was still able to land a position.

What are your favorite parts about your team?

Everyone is flexible including the leaders, which means it is easy to reach out to someone and get help. I can work with people from various places with different backgrounds. Everyone is growing together and we all have support from leadership.

Any advice for someone who is considering working at Allstate?

Be open minded because once you are at Allstate, the opportunities are endless. You can move up in your current team or completely transition to a different department. You need to have the passion to continuously better yourself to keep up with any changes.

Outside of work you can be found doing?

I mostly spend time with my kids and attend their sports activities. We also travel to New York to visit family and friends.

Fun fact: I enjoy taking walks with my family and our dog, Reese. Some of our best conversations happen then.

Interested in joining Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures? Search open roles today.

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Employee Spotlight- Shaun, Big Data Developer, Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures

September 11, 2019/in All Blogs, Employee Spotlights, Technology and Innovation /by

This is Shaun, a Big Data Developer with Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures (ATSV) in Irving, TX. Shaun recently joined Allstate in early 2019 and is already an active contributor to the team.

When did you join Allstate?

I joined Allstate earlier this year in 2019 as a Developer for Claims. I am still in a similar role now, but we recently restructured to have everything in the same domain to build the systems needed and have developers cross train to do everything. The changes have helped us connect better with other teams to best utilize our skills.

What made you decide to join the company?

When I was in college, I realized that the biggest users of data science were insurance companies. I did my own research by looking over Allstate reviews on employer review sites. On there, I found out about Allstate’s Data, Discovery and Decision Science (D3) team and kept reading that Allstate was big on internal promotions, so I decided to apply there.

What work are you most proud of?

Two weeks into my employment with the company, there were some systems that the developers had been working on for over a year. At this point, I was still learning about the structure of Allstate and processing the new technologies that we would be working with. While we were reviewing the coding on one of the systems, I let them know that something didn’t look right with me. I helped them realize that there was an error in the code that needed to be changed.

What values are important to you at a job?

The ability to be open minded and to feel like what you do matters. You’re more likely to put in effort when you know that your ideas will be heard.

How do you experience those values here?

I notice that when I have an opinion or suggestion on something, the people are open to the feedback. I can go to any team to ask for help and they’ll offer assistance right away. I am also able to easily communicate with people in higher positions. They make sure everyone is heard and it never feels like one person is above another person.

What are your favorite parts about your job?

The community and environment here. We all push each other to try our hardest, which helps us hold each other to a higher standard. There is also a healthy work-life balance where we can usually take PTO whenever we need to, and we are rarely asked to stay late. Allstate encourages people to volunteer even during work time, which is unique for a company as big as us, but it shows the company is committed to its values

What qualities do people need to be successful here?

Having initiative due to all the discussions you will have because it’s easy for people to listen, but sometimes hard for them to voice their ideas. You need to be able to present your ideas.

Any advice for someone who is considering working at Allstate?

What you put in to your work is what you get out of it, so be sure to always push yourself.

Outside of work you can be found doing?

Lately I’ve been watching a lot of classic and popular movies.

Fun fact:I recently had the opportunity to go to lunch with some of the team from Ireland and India. I got to learn about how cultures were so different when I explained to them what a quesadilla or tortilla was. This wouldn’t have been possible back then.

Interested in joining Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures? Search open roles today.

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Mark, Finance Development Program (FDP)

August 9, 2019/in All Blogs, Employee Spotlights /by

Mark is a second-year participant of the Finance Development Program (FDP) and is currently a Consultant on the Corporate Development team. He graduated from DePaul University with a major in finance.

The Finance Development Program is a three-year rotational program. It consists of three one-year rotations within our One Finance organization (360°Finance, Investments Finance, Audit, Corporate Finance, ABO Finance and more).

Q: What attracted you to Allstate’s Finance Development Program?

A: I loved the idea of rotating through different areas of the company within the Finance organization. With each rotation you can build different skills, meet new people and develop into a more well-rounded employee at Allstate.

Q: What is your favorite thing about the program?

A: Something really cool about FDP, is that you’re starting your career at Allstate with a built-in network. I have a cohort of other FDP participants who have similar experiences as me and we’re on the same boat learning and navigating Allstate together. On top of this, we also have the Leadership Development Program participants as a network we can connect with.

Q: What was your first rotation?

A: I was an analyst on the Private Assets team where I helped aid in the finance and accounting functions for private investments. My team supported our Portfolio Managers with reporting of the performance and returns of our private assets, helped with the strategic and operating plans for performance-based investments, as well as general advising on deal structures, execution of accounting procedures and operations.

Q: What are your favorite parts about the team?

A: I’m surrounded by very intelligent coworkers and it’s motivating being around them. They’re continuously learning and developing themselves whether it be grad school, certifications, or challenging themselves with new work. It’s also an encouraging environment to learn and ask questions. We also do some fun things outside of the office like happy hours, golf outings and attending Cubs games.

Q: What are you looking forward to in your second rotation?

A: I’m excited to build new relationships with those on my team and add to a set of skills I’ve been able to acquire in my first role. Taking on a different role makes it easy to learn something new and challenge yourself.

Q: What values are important to you in a job?

A: Work/life balance, learning and development, and meaningful work.

Q: How do you experience them at Allstate?

A: Leadership shows you that work/life balance is important, and everyone believes in it here. Learning and development are a huge part of the Allstate culture. As part of the program there are two formal learning conferences each year, and outside the program there are opportunities to learn throughout the year via Global Learning Day, workshops and online curriculum. From the start of my career at Allstate, I’ve been engaged in meaningful work and I know I’m contributing to Allstate’s bottom line.

Q: What qualities do people need to be successful here?

A: Being able to build relationships is huge because no matter what work you’re doing, you will be interacting with a lot of individuals within your team and outside. You’re constantly building your network, especially as you rotate through the program. The other thing is being open to feedback. There are always things you can improve on and acknowledging those areas that you can improve is important.

Q: Outside of work you can be found doing?

A: I enjoy working out, trying out new restaurants and spending time with family.

Fun fact: I’m obsessed with the Cubs! (No, I’m not a bandwagon fan.)

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It is the Company's policy to employ the best qualified individuals available for all jobs. Therefore, any discriminatory action taken on account of an employee's ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual and reproductive health decision, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, race (include traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles), religion (including religious dress), sex, or sexual orientation that adversely affects an employee's terms or conditions of employment is prohibited. This policy applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, salary administration, promotion, job assignment, benefits, discipline, and separation of employment.

Effective July 1, 2014, under Indiana House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1242, it is against public policy of the State of Indiana and a discriminatory practice for an employer to discriminate against a prospective employee on the basis of status as a veteran by refusing to employ an applicant on the basis that they are a veteran of the armed forces of the United States, a member of the Indiana National Guard or a member of a reserve component.
We will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local Fair Chance laws.

To view the "Know Your Rights" poster click here. This poster summarizes the federal laws prohibiting job discrimination and explains how employees or applicants can file a complaint if they believe they have experienced discrimination.

It’s an important time of the year that Allstaters come together to raise awareness of a critical issue impacting one in four women.

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It’s an exciting week at Allstate. This is our first ever Global Learning Week. Global Learning Week focuses on continuous learning and development, while providing employees opportunities to hear from speakers who are experts in a variety of different fields.

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Alexis joined Allstate after graduating from Tulane University last year.

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Allstate fosters a culture of personal growth and development. Danny’s career journey is a prime example of it!

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Danielle is a Claim Litigation Attorney in the Dispute Resolution Services group and attended the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore, Maryland.

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From undergrad to Allstate, meet Nick an IT & Security Audit Lead

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From Grad School to Allstate, meet Lisa a Senior Lead Internal Auditor and a big Michigan Wolverine fan

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Kelly decided to change her career path and found her calling in Cloud Engineering.

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This is Shaun, a Big Data Developer with Allstate Technology and Strategic Ventures (ATSV) in Irving, TX. Shaun recently joined Allstate in early 2019 and is already an active contributor to the team.

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Mark is a second-year participant of the Finance Development Program (FDP) and is currently a Consultant on the Corporate Development team. He graduated from DePaul University with a major in finance.

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