Pursuing a career in insurance can be very rewarding. Most of those who consider this career path are tempted by its attractive compensation before they look into the other aspects of the job. Others fear that such an attractive job will be too demanding or requires a lot of certifications and qualifications. While it’s true that this career is both rewarding and demanding, there’s more to it than meets the eyes. Pursuing a career in insurance usually starts with becoming an insurance agent. To figure out whether this kind of job is the right fit for you, there are a few things you should know before taking this step.
Before being an insurance agent, you should know the following facts.
- You Don’t Need an Insurance Background to Start
Unlike popular belief, getting started as an insurance agent doesn’t require a previous background in insurance. Many insurance companies provide adequate training to prepare their upcoming agents for their work demands. However, what you do need to have is excellent sales and negotiation skills. Being an insurance agent means working in the sales arena after all, and this game is full of excellent communicators. Even if you don’t have previous experience in insurance, you can learn the requirements of the job as long as you know how to sell.
- Having Extra Qualifications Is Great
You’ll find that insurance agents can work in various fields and niches. Most of the fields don’t demand high qualifications, but this changes if you’re looking to start a career as a life insurance agent. In this case, you’ll need to start studying for your license before you can be accepted in any life insurance company or selling life insurance through insurance brokerage firms. Striving towards getting the Series 6 license should be a goal anyway, even if you won’t be working in life insurance as this will be a significant factor that proves your commitment to the industry.
- It’s Not a 9-5 Job
Working as an insurance agent is quite different from having a routine job, which has both its perks and shortcomings. For starters, this means that you’ll have more control over your life and you’ll be working according to your own schedule. The freedom that this work-style provides can be attractive enough to adopt. However, this also means that you’re not bound by business hours to do your job. You might find yourself having late-night meetings with clients to finalize the sale or midnight calls to answer inquiries. Unless you find the perfect work-life balance, you might become consumed with work or have too much free time on your hands.
- Your Success Depends on Your Self-Motivation and Personal Skills
The last point brings us to another important fact. To achieve success as an insurance agent, you’ll need extremely high levels of self-motivation. You won’t find anyone over your head pushing you to deliver tasks or meet deadlines; it’s purely proactive. In order to achieve the work-life balance we’ve mentioned, you should possess strong personal skills. This means organizing your work, setting goals and deadlines for yourself, and always striving to meet the targets you set for yourself.
- You’ll Be Dealing With People
While working as an insurance agent technically translates as working in sales, your job will be so much more than just selling products. Selling insurance policies can be complicated and it’s something that needs to be customized for every client you meet. Moreover, such a job requires excellent people skills. Getting insurance is vital and a huge step for everyone, which means your clients will be looking for someone they can trust. This can only be achieved if you have their best interest at heart when you’re discussing with them their best options.
- Your Math Skills Should Be Excellent
Customizing plans and considering different options will also require another top-skill in calculations and mathematics. You need to be very good with numbers; that’s the only way you’ll be able to convince them with your recommendation. When they understand how getting the insurance plan you recommend will save them hefty costs down the road, they’ll be more likely to trust your judgment.
- You Should Always Seek More Knowledge and Expertise
You might start your career working for a niche-specific insurance company, which is great in getting experience and building up knowledge. However, you should make getting familiar with different products across various fields a priority. Doing so will give you a competitive edge and increase your worth as a candidate.
Before deciding on becoming an insurance agent, you should be fully aware of the job and its requirements. Working as an insurance agent is surely rewarding financially, but it also requires certain skill sets. By understanding what you’re signing up for before you commit, you’ll be able to make the most out of your career choice.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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