As a summer of hybrid internships kicks off, Carmel-based CNO Financial has hired five interns from Carmel and Fishers:
- Zobair Choudhry from Carmel is an Actuarial Intern in the Actuarial & Risk Department.
- Maggie Drye from Fishers is an HR Intern (TA) in the Human Resources Department.
- Nolan Kopp from Carmel is a Corporate Development Intern in the Capital Initiatives Department.
- Chris Seat from Carmel is a Legal Intern in the Legal Department.
- Xander Wilson from Fishers is an IT Intern in the Information Technology Department.
Beyond their assigned roles, the interns also work on two projects throughout the summer: one project with fellow interns in their department, and another with interns across the company.
These interns are working hybrid, primarily remote with opportunities to come into the CNO office. Soon, CNO’s CEO Gary Bhojwani will speak with the interns in an in-person session sharing career advice. The interns also have coffee chats, resume workshops and other career-building sessions.
Historically, the program has already converted five interns into full-time employees.
CNO Financial Group’s internship program began 2011.
“We believe interns bring new perspectives to existing challenges,” CNO Vice President of Organizational Development Carolyn O’Donnell said. “So far, we have had a total of 187 interns and approximately 25 to 30 intern cohorts and involved departments include IT, Actuarial, HR, Marketing, Internal Audit, and 40|86.”
O’Donnell
O’Donnell told The Reporter the intern program gives students an opportunity to learn about CNO and network while doing meaningful work for the organization.
“We plan to continue to grow our program in the future and recruit individuals who truly value the internship experience at CNO Financial Group,” O’Donnell said.
Interns are selected by assessing each candidate’s competitive work ethic, eagerness to learn and develop new ideas, and ability to create a positive impact on the company. CNO also selects interns based on their enthusiasm and excitement toward certain intern opportunities.
“It is also important we provide our interns with important work that can further their career and network opportunities,” O’Donnell said. “To create this experience, we provide leadership discussions, career counseling, development opportunities, and additional resources that provide our interns with a well-rounded experience. We are always impressed with our interns and their skillsets.”
CNO benefits from this program in a number of ways.
“Our interns provide new perspectives to existing challenges that help us continue to grow as a company,” O’Donnell said. “It is also a great way to discover new, talented individuals who we believe will succeed at CNO long-term. Lastly, we hope that we are providing valuable skills and resources for our interns that will help create a successful career path. It is crucial we provide an experience where our interns can develop leadership skills, apply their education to work, and create a competitive edge.”
Recruiting for the 2023 internship class will begin in September.
“We are optimistic that we will be able to be on campuses this fall to attend career fairs and meet individuals who are interested in our internship program,” O’Donnell said. “Students that attend universities we recruit from should apply through their career centers. Students at other colleges and universities can apply through our website at careers.cnoinc.com once the internships have been posted.”
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About CNO
CNO Financial Group, Inc. secures the future of middle-income America. CNO provides life and health insurance, annuities, financial services, and workforce benefits solutions through its family of brands, including Bankers Life, Colonial Penn, Optavise and Washington National. CNO’s customers work hard to save for the future, and CNO helps protect their health, income and retirement needs with 3.2 million policies and $35 billion in total assets. CNO’s 3,400 associates, 4,500 exclusive agents and 4,700 independent partner agents guide individuals, families and businesses through a lifetime of financial decisions. For more information, visit CNOinc.com.