Newb in need of ADVICE!!

shawn17ths

New Member
10
First of all I just want to say that this forum is great. Everyone here seems very helpful and well educated.

My name is Shawn and I'm currently looking for a career change. I'm only 22 but I can already see that my current career (graphic designer/sales manager) can't provide me with the future I'm looking for. So I've decided to go a different direction with things, and I've taken a liking towards the insurance industry.

That being said, I'm rather lost in the steps to getting into the career field. I'm planning on taking a course to prepare myself for the test to get my license, but after that I'm not sure what the next step is. I would ultimately like to become an independent agent eventually, but am planning on working as a captive agent for a few years to learn the ropes. How do I go about this (becoming a captive agent)? Or am I completely off track? I'm more less trying to learn anything and everything I can as of right now so that I'm not setting myself up for failure due to ignorance.

I've also seen plenty of people talking about how hard it is to be successful in this business. What are some of the things I should and should not do to become successful in this business.

I appreciate all of the help and advice in advance, you guys are great.

Shawn
 
Shawn, I suggest you make contact with a few agents in your area. Be upfront, tell them what you're considering, and ask for their advice.
 
Well as of right now I work over 60 hours a week, 6 days a week so finding time to visit agents is kind of hard for me.Which is why I figured I would try to get advice from all of you guys, it would be like talking to all of you without having to travel around finding time. I could also get a larger variety of feed back through this forum, isn't that what this forum is for?

And I am by no means getting defensive, just saying... (its hard to tell a person's tone when typing lol)
 
Shawn, I understand you're not being defensive, you're right about the importance of recognizing the tone of comment.

Now hear my tone as a friendly question. If you can't find the time to visit with a couple of local agents how will you find the time to sell part time?
 
I would like to focus on p&c but would also want to offer life and health. Just to have a variety.
 
I don't plan on trying to sell part time. I want to make a full out career change and go at full force. Thats why i'm just trying to gather all of the information I can before I take a leap of faith.
 
Since you mentioned P&C....you may want to go with one of the big boys like Farmers or State Farm or MetLife to get your training in and learn the business a while before you go independent. If you were all life and health I would say Mutual of Omaha or NYL or New England or smebody like that to train you first. Anyways, there is nothing wrong with going captive a while - just to learn for a while. Like a year or two.
 
Since you mentioned P&C....you may want to go with one of the big boys like Farmers or State Farm or MetLife to get your training in and learn the business a while before you go independent. If you were all life and health I would say Mutual of Omaha or NYL or New England or smebody like that to train you first. Anyways, there is nothing wrong with going captive a while - just to learn for a while. Like a year or two.

Do these places have programs that you try to get into or do you mean apply for a job with them once i am licensed?
 
Back
Top