Attend elementary school, graduate high school, go to college and get a degree, and then head out into the workforce; the standard career path. The problem is that model and expectation does not fit everyone and many do not know what they want to do professionally at such a young age. I was one of those kids.
I graduated from a four-year university with a degree in communications with no clear path in mind. All I knew was I needed to find a full-time job. I blindly applied to several job postings online after graduation and accepted the first job that was offered to me. That employer was a small insurance carrier nearby and the position was for an entry-level customer service role. I did not have a clue what a deductible was nor did I know what I got myself into. What I do know now, ten years later, is that I am so incredibly grateful that employer gave me the opportunity to work in this industry.
At the time, my friends were working for big accounting and banking firms, working on Wall Street, and even playing professional sports. I, on the other hand, was working in insurance. “Insurance isn’t cool.” “Insurance isn’t sexy.” I believe that stigma needs to change. The fact is, insurance is cool. Insurance is awesome. In its essence, insurance is an intangible product needed by society to protect our personal assets and operate our businesses. It’s a people business built on trust and partnerships. That is what I love the most about this industry; it’s the people who work in it. I love collaborating with independent agents on creating solutions to challenges and discussing ways on how we can grow together. People do business with people they like and trust. That is the foundation of a successful agency-carrier relationship. So for those upcoming graduates who might be like me ten years ago and do not know what they want to do professionally, please check out this great industry.
From service roles to sales and marketing, to carrier underwriting, and claims handling – the opportunities are endless! The insurance industry can also be financially rewarding, stable, and allows for a great work-life balance. Technology has feverishly entered our space over the past 5-10 years and will continue to evolve as customer expectations change, which is both exciting and challenging. If even one of these career paths sounds interesting, I would strongly encourage you to check out our industry. Insurance really is the place to be!
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