"We need to hire 3,000 licensed agents in 30 days."
That was the subject line in my inbox.
It was August. A national insurance provider was preparing for the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). Regulatory approvals had come in late (as they sometimes do), and the ask was clear: recruit thousands of licensed agents across multiple markets in just about a month.
I've been in high-volume hiring for a long time. This wasn't my first last-minute AEP ramp. But this one felt different.
Labor market conditions were tighter. Agent expectations were shifting. People weren't just looking for a role they wanted one that respected their credentials, moved quickly, and didn't bury them in red tape.
And insurance companies? They were racing against strict CMS deadlines, rising customer service expectations, and intense competition for experienced, licensed talent.
No pressure, right?
Here's what we know:
Annual Enrollment hiring isn't just about filling seats fast. It's about:
That's where structure makes the difference.
We launched a delivery model that let our teams move fast and keep things personal targeted outreach, recruiter availability across time zones, interview coordination, licensing verification, onboarding nudges, and real-time visibility into funnel performance. Everything was designed to scale without creating chaos.
I checked in with the client the week before AEP kicked off. Their director of enrollment operations told me:
"Last year, we were scrambling right up to October 15. This year, we're actually ready to go live."
That's the goal. Not just filling a quota but helping leaders feel confident, compliant, and in control.
The truth is:
Hiring for Annual Enrollment in 2025 isn't about flashy tech or massive databases. It's about flawless execution.
The insurance clients we support aren't looking to reinvent AEP staffing. They just want it to stop being the fire drill they dread every year.