A key step in an agency's growth is hiring and retaining the best employees available. But where do you find them? How do you recruit the next generation into an industry that has a reputation for being staid and boring?

"Recruiting for the insurance industry, especially in a hot job market, requires more effort on our part," said Sarah Farmer, manager of recruiting for American Modern Insurance Group. "We work closely with colleges and universities that have insurance or risk management programs, for example, the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University and Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., and we attend their career fairs," Farmer explains.

"Actuarial positions are the most difficult to fill," said Brittany Lynn, senior recruiter for American Modern. In October, she and Farmer attended a "meet the firms" night at Illinois State University, in Normal, Ill. The event focused on the actuarial science program at the university, which is a Center for Actuarial Excellence.