• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Fortune 500

3 Skills You Need for a More Successful Career

By
Keith Daly
Keith Daly
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Keith Daly
Keith Daly
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 18, 2016, 8:30 PM ET
Businessman using laptop at table in office
Businessman using laptop at table in officePhotograph by Hero Images via Getty Images

The Fortune 500 Insiders Network is an online community where top executives from the Fortune 500 share ideas and offer leadership advice with Fortune’s global audience. Keith Daly, chief claims officer at Farmers Insurance, has answered the question: What are three skills that are critical to success?

It’s almost summer, and as a college graduate, you’re likely looking to start your career. Beyond the technical knowledge you may now be able to bring to your chosen career, there are some important characteristics you need to help you excel and create a successful, long-term career. And while you won’t find them in a traditional textbook, I have found these three skills can help to differentiate good workers from standout employees:

Bring authenticity
Remember to always be your authentic self. The person who goes to work each day should be the same person who comes home to family and friends each night. You’d be surprised how obvious it can be to those around you if those two personas diverge. Moreover, the amount of energy it takes to flex from one persona to another is huge and is simply unsustainable over a long-term career.

In most cases, when people get hired, the natural tendency is to try to meld into the culture of their new company. You can certainly learn from others at work, but your objective shouldn’t be to emulate them at the expense of your own self. You were hired because of your unique attributes. Let your authentic self come through. Focus on self-awareness to help you determine who you are and who you are not—what your strengths and weaknesses are. Focus more on creating a space for yourself within your employer’s organization, while still looking for the best aspects of your new team that you can integrate into your own approach.

See also: Fortune 500 CEO: The One Quality Every Leader Must Have

Authenticity builds trust and lets coworkers see that you have their best interests at heart. That authenticity helps pave the way for you to build a network or join a team, delegate tasks, and become a time management pro. Changing who you are—your style—erodes trust.

Be inquisitive, be curious, then act
In my opinion, it’s always a positive to be inquisitive and curious. It’s important to ask a lot of questions and learn as much as you can about your organization, its products, services, and customers. But curiosity is not enough on its own. You need to follow curiosity with action. Otherwise, what you’ve learned is merely academic. Ask yourself, “Now what do I do with this knowledge?” Have the courage and the conviction to follow through, and then do the right thing by taking the proper course of action.

We seek critical thinkers, consequential thinkers, and those with an entrepreneurial spirit when adding new people to our team. We want people who are able to flex their judgment and will take the necessary next steps. It’s important to remember, too, that not every action will necessarily be the right or best action, especially in your first job, but continually employing the process will refine your skill over your career’s lifetime.

Embrace diversity
Diversity is extremely important, and we embrace a diversity of thinkers at Farmers.

 

We want people with varying points of view to work closely and collaboratively with others—including those who are outspoken and have strong opinions. We believe an inclusionary policy that embraces everyone leads to better decisions, a better organization, and a superior brand.

For example, it would be easy to assemble a team of people who act like me, think like me, have a personality similar to mine, and a communication style that mimics mine. In many cases, we would have a tidy consensus on an issue. But what would that really accomplish? The end goal for organizations is to create better outcomes. That takes genuine collaboration among people who all see things just a little bit differently.

Graduation can be a nerve-wracking time: You’ve been thrust into the workforce and expected to hit the ground running. I urge you to look at it another way: as your opportunity to take the first step in a lifetime of learning and development, most of which takes place outside of the classroom. Trust your authentic self, ask numerous questions, and be ready to follow that knowledge with decisive actions. Embrace those who offer a diversity of thoughts, and you’ll be well on your way to a successful career.

About the Authors
By Keith Daly
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bethany Cianciolo
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

How the World Cup is a high-stakes stage for Big Tech’s AI push
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
How the World Cup is a high-stakes stage for Big Tech’s AI push
By John KellJune 10, 2026
19 minutes ago
‘I love the inflation’: Trump is ‘not concerned’ about inflation hitting 4% for the first time since 2023. ‘The numbers were great’
EconomyDonald Trump
‘I love the inflation’: Trump is ‘not concerned’ about inflation hitting 4% for the first time since 2023. ‘The numbers were great’
By The Associated Press and Christopher RugaberJune 10, 2026
34 minutes ago
A man guides a ship in the water.
EnergyOil
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
1 hour ago
Honda recalls nearly 900,000 cars thanks to rear suspension problems
RetailHonda
Honda recalls nearly 900,000 cars thanks to rear suspension problems
By The Associated PressJune 10, 2026
1 hour ago
Anthropic accused of ‘secret sabotage’ as Claude Fable 5 silently limits capabilities for AI researchers and developers
AIAnthropic
Anthropic accused of ‘secret sabotage’ as Claude Fable 5 silently limits capabilities for AI researchers and developers
By Sharon GoldmanJune 10, 2026
2 hours ago
A 5-week course and a guaranteed job: Meta commits $115 million to solve the skilled-trades shortage stalling its AI buildout
Future of WorkMeta
A 5-week course and a guaranteed job: Meta commits $115 million to solve the skilled-trades shortage stalling its AI buildout
By Jacqueline MunisJune 10, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
Wall Street dumped nearly $1 trillion in tech stocks by midday—then clawed it back and bought peanut butter and paint
Investing
Wall Street dumped nearly $1 trillion in tech stocks by midday—then clawed it back and bought peanut butter and paint
By Eva RoytburgJune 9, 2026
22 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.