Is a Career In Insurance Right For You?
Many people, especially young people, are looking for something REAL these days. Not some temporary job with no future, or a part-time employer who thinks he’s better than God, but something real, tangible, worthwhile-doing, and long-lasting.
One occupation many are looking into is the insurance industry. It is, after all, nearly recession-proof. It can be very rewarding, as you help people overcome real problems, solve real issues, and prepare for a responsible future. And it isn’t a passing fancy or part-time plaything, but a real career, with opportunities for advancement, even entrepreneurship, in the years to come. So, if you are one of those hopefuls, how do you know that a career in the insurance industry is right for you? Let’s ask some qualifying questions, and see how you do.
1. Can you manage your time and resources well?
Many insurance agents find themselves working out of the office a great deal. They have to schedule appointments when the prospects are available, not necessarily when it is most convenient for them. So, the best agents are very good, or can get very good, at managing their time and resources to their best advantage. If you are highly motivated and self-disciplined, and already have some time management skills in place, you can beat the crowd and have a leg up on those who don’t.
2. Are you a people person, or a wallflower?
We’re not saying an introvert can’t become a success in the insurance industry. What we are saying is that those who can network well, communicate well with others, and who can reach out to people they don’t know with skill and savvy, CAN become a success without having to overcome people-skill problems. If you’ve got mad personal skills, your road to insurance agent success can be a lot shorter.
3. Do you enjoy some work-related travel?
Insurance agents often meet prospects and clients out of the office, in the clients’ homes or offices. If spending the day or the evening driving around town, or out and about the countryside, appeals to you, then you’d have an easier time accepting the travel demands of an insurance career.
4. Can you handle, or overcome, rejection?
Let’s face it. Insurance is all about sales. You have to sell the policies, the products, the financial services. And most people, at least the first time they are approached, say “No”. Some figures put the total rejection rate for insurance agents’ sales at 80% (some go even higher.) So, a good agent either has to have a way to overcome all that rejection and close the sale even when the prospect is more inclined to say “no”, or they have to have a back-up plan in place to get SOME sale out of each and every client.
Knowing your products and services, and matching them to your prospects and existing clients is the best way to overcome total rejection. “If Plan A doesn’t work for you, have you looked at Plan B?” Also, a good insurance agent knows that rejection is just part of the business, and learns NOT to take it personally. If you think you have the mental and emotional strength to overcome repeated rejections, then you’re well on your way to preparing for a career in insurance.
5. Do you see yourself in the role of “boss” and “business owner” in the future?
If you have dreams of someday owning your own business, and having your own employees working for you, then insurance could be the perfect career choice. After a few years as an agent, you can take the initiative and branch out on your own, creating your own office. Those who are happily content to work for someone else all their lives can also make great insurance agents, but they may lack a bit of the motivation that the career demands. So, for the go-getter entrepreneur-to-be, insurance can be the answer to your dreams.
A career in insurance can be demanding, but it can also be rewarding. Knowing whether or not you have what it takes going in can help you decide if the insurance industry is right for you. We hope that our quick question and answer session has helped you to make that very crucial decision. Good luck!