Job vs. Career in Insurance

[harold]

I promise this will be the last type of post like this I make for a while.

Ive been reading this board for months, and a common piece of advice I keep coming across in these new agent threads is that insurance sales is a career and not a job. I dont know if this is troubling for anyone else but when I see this I get disheartened because I feel like Im wasting my time since I havent decided if this is a career for me or not. I know Ive said this a few times already, but with limited experience, in the business and in the location I work at, I really dont know. Every job Ive ever worked, I looked at my managers and their managers to give me an idea if that was the type of job I wanted to work or the person I wanted to become. I look at the independent agent I work with and he's not someone I aspire to be, i.e. unbalanced lifestyle, doesnt eat regularly or healthy, smokes a ton, somewhat narrow minded (doesnt let little things go and everyone is an "***" when things dont go his way) also seems like a workaholic. I know that doesnt have to be who I become but he is pretty successful at what he does, it just sucks that I almost hate working with him. Not to get too far off track, but I've decided that I'm going to give it a full year of effort before I decide to look for something else. I'll know whether or not Im gonna stick with it by 12/31/2012.

I'll be straight up with you and myself and say that Im not passionate about insurance itself, but I love helping people and the personal and financial rewards of selling has always been appealing. In fact, I love dealing with someone whos pissed off, servicing them, and turning their day around by just being a good to them. However, I feel like I could be doing the world and myself a great service by finding a product I actually enjoy talking and learning about. And I think it would only be fair to let those who have the same level of passion towards insurance do what they do best.

Im not sure if its a matter of finding the right environment, or if the idea of selling insurance is just not for me. I have a hunch the two are related. I find myself having to convince myself at the beginning of every week that this is the right move for me, and by Friday Im pumped, but then Monday rolls around again and its another pep talk Im giving myself week after week.

My question to those of you who have been doing this for a while and having success with it, is how long did it take before you realized it was what you wanted to do? Did you ever or almost give up? What changed your mind or got you to pursue it?

Just need a little motivation right now. Thanks guys.

BTW, I have a P&C license and was thinking about getting my L&H in November, not sure if a different product would change anything for me but I do feel strongly about people having health insurance.

 

[Guest]

Re: Job Vs. Career...

i cant hold my attention long enough to read all that

 

[Todd King]

Re: Job Vs. Career...

I know when I speak of it being a career and not a job, what I really mean is that there is no one being "the boss" but you! Of course, there are captive situations where you still have to punch the time clock, but if you are independent, it's all about you. You make it or you break it!

I'm not passionate about insurance itself either, but you have to know what you're doing with it in order to help someone. I like helping people too. I think that's why I've stayed with the senior market. They seem to really appreciate when you've helped them. The younger market doens't seem to recognize it as much.

To me (and I've never worked P&C), but the P&C side seems to be filled with order takers more than salespersons. Just my opinion.

 

[Sales71]

Re: Job Vs. Career...

I have to go and eat. So I will comment once I go on vacation and have enough time to read ur book/post.

 

[Josh]

Re: Job Vs. Career...

I have to go and eat. So I will comment once I go on vacation and have enough time to read ur book/post.

Didn't you just comment?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Harold, you're sort of all over the place on it your post, but when you say you haven't decided whether or not this is for you, then it probably isn't.

If you want to help people, go become a doctor or a nurse or volunteer at the soup kitchen. If you want to build a career and make enough money to survive and then thrive, you need to fully commit to this. You don't have to love insurance to make good money selling it (although it helps and if you make enough money from it you can start to like it), but you do have to be committed. Ignore the insurance part, you're going in business for yourself. If you're not fully committed to investing time and energy into making yourself successful and that isn't your motivation, start looking for a job now.

 

[BNTRS]

Re: Job Vs. Career...

Well, if anyone is going to help you, I think we'd need to understand better why you are having the feelings you are having.

You've made clear that you do not really look up to the agent with whom you work (and I'm guessing is sort of a mentor). You aren't necessarily unique in this essence.

But what is dragging you down? Why are you not sure if this is for you?

What part of doing what you do has you questioning if this is for you?

Also, you said you get pumped on Fridays but by Monday not so much. You're getting pumped on the wrong day of the week.

Unlike a lot of what has been said I happen to really like insurance and what it does. In fact, at times I think my passion for what it does puts me in a hyper critical position when it comes to a lot of insurance companies (but whatever). I view my role as being the guy. Someone's guy, like when you tell someone you have a guy for that (that's me for a lot of people). I want to be that person, because there a sense of importance that comes out of that.

To a lot of people, it's just insurance, which isn't fun or exciting at all. For the most part, that's not who I'm really after (but I can be much more selective on the Life/Heath, but mostly life side).

If you don't find fulfillment in being a a resource for all things P&C related, I'd say it might be a good idea to exit. And I'm not so sure I'd wait until December of next year to make up my mind. Better to be off doing things you want, than trying to force something you hate into a box where it'll never fit.

 

[harold]

Re: Job Vs. Career...

Ok, thanks guys. Im just wondering if Im doing the right thing (as in my moral compass).

An example is when I see someone get charged $100 or $200 on top of their premium and then when I ask about it I get told, "dont ask, dont tell." Feels kinda shady sometimes, I'd like to make a living knowing Im not doing wrong by anyone. (But this is also how I get paid, I get a % of that extra money being charged, so if I dont do it, I dont see anything and the agent keeps the commission). This is whats been bothering me the most. 6 months in and I still dont know how the business works, and I ask myself if what Im doing is legit, I dont know what I dont know, unconscious incompetence sucks. On a positive note, at least I know thats where I stand.


Im dying to know what its like to work at a regular agency where people are honest and have some integrity. Thats all.

To quote Ghandi, Im gonna be the change I want to see, and we'll see where it takes me.

 

[Pauljstick]

Re: Job Vs. Career...

Any business = the person running it... If the owner/manager is happy, the office will be happy. If the owner/manager is miserable, the office will be miserable. If you don't like it, find an agency that you fit with. It is not insurance that you don't like, it's the owner.

No matter WHAT field you get into, you will find the same things. Don't judge an industry by one individual.

 

[Kenno]

Unfortunately many agents' success is dependant on the culture of the office they work in. If you aren't happy with the office or the chain-smoking knucklehead then move elsewhere. I can promise you that any decent, ethical, high-expectation office is always on the lookout for someone new that will fit in and will produce.

Job v. Career - the old saying is true, JOB stands for Just Over Broke. Want a steady (albeit sh*tty) paycheck? Go get yourself a job.

When people say this is a career, what they usually mean is that this is just like starting and running your own business. Expect to work your ass off your first couple of years, establishing your business. It has ups and downs, just don't let the down periods define who you are.

 

[carol369]

Re: Job Vs. Career...

Ok, thanks guys. Im just wondering if Im doing the right thing (as in my moral compass).

An example is when I see someone get charged $100 or $200 on top of their premium and then when I ask about it I get told, "dont ask, dont tell." Feels kinda shady sometimes, I'd like to make a living knowing Im not doing wrong by anyone. (But this is also how I get paid, I get a % of that extra money being charged, so if I dont do it, I dont see anything and the agent keeps the commission). This is whats been bothering me the most. 6 months in and I still dont know how the business works, and I ask myself if what Im doing is legit, I dont know what I dont know, unconscious incompetence sucks. On a positive note, at least I know thats where I stand.


Im dying to know what its like to work at a regular agency where people are honest and have some integrity. Thats all.

To quote Ghandi, Im gonna be the change I want to see, and we'll see where it takes me.

It sounds like you're more concerned with the commission than with the client. I don't look at what is best for my pocketbook, I look at what is best for the client. If I had a boss that wouldn't tell me what the fee was for, I think I'd call the main office to find out.