Times Do Change
Once upon a time I was the child of an insurance sales manager (Hi, Dad!). This means that from the time of my first babysitting job my father was pestering me to put money away into a 401 (k), and from the instant I started looking past part-time jobs to keep me out of trouble during school I was brainwashed on the benefits of a career in sales, preferably of the insurance variety. Did you know that insurance is a recession-proof industry?
Me being me, I shunned the brainwashing. I knew I could kick butt in sales (a lifetime being related to my dad will do that to a girl), but didn't want the pressure of a salary based solely on comission. What if I sucked at it? And it's such a 24/7 kind of thing.
In the first great post-college job search I decided I would be willing to work for an insurance company as long as it wasn't in sales. Claims, administration, something like that I could do. Sales, not so much my cup of tea. One insurance company placed a rather vague ad in the paper that I responded to. When they called me I said, in no uncertain terms, "I don't want to do insurance sales. I come from an insurance sales background, so I know from where I speak. If this is for a job in the non-sales realm I would love to come interview for it. This isn't for a sales position, is it?"
Guess what, it was for a sales position. What many insurance companies will do (by many I mean at least two that I have direct experience with) is they will invite you and a bunch of other people in together where the boss-man will give you a 45 minute spiel on how great the insurance industry is and how rewarding your life can be as an insurance agent. From there they interview you.
During that first experience they had the interview immediately after the spiel. Everyone waited in the conference room, and they would work through everyone until they were done. I didn't bother. One the spiel was over I stood up and left. They quizzed me on it, and I informed them that I was not interested in a career in sales, had informed them of that fact, and didn't want to waste anymore of their time. I was REALLY tempted to get up in the middle of the presentation, but felt that was a bit extreme and I could show a wee bit of courtesy.
This morning I went to another spiel. This time I'm actually contemplating it. This time they call you back later to do the interview, so no need to make a spectacle of myself. Of course, the next step in the process is actually to consult with Dad. When you've got a dad who spent 30 years in the insurance industry it is necessary that he approve of the company and position before you proceed with the rest of it all.
And while we're speaking of valuable life lessons taught to me by my father: When it rains for the first time in a long time, it brings the oil to the top of the road and that makes things extra-slick, so you need to drive extra carefully. Consider this a public service announcement as the weather starts to turn.
Me being me, I shunned the brainwashing. I knew I could kick butt in sales (a lifetime being related to my dad will do that to a girl), but didn't want the pressure of a salary based solely on comission. What if I sucked at it? And it's such a 24/7 kind of thing.
In the first great post-college job search I decided I would be willing to work for an insurance company as long as it wasn't in sales. Claims, administration, something like that I could do. Sales, not so much my cup of tea. One insurance company placed a rather vague ad in the paper that I responded to. When they called me I said, in no uncertain terms, "I don't want to do insurance sales. I come from an insurance sales background, so I know from where I speak. If this is for a job in the non-sales realm I would love to come interview for it. This isn't for a sales position, is it?"
Guess what, it was for a sales position. What many insurance companies will do (by many I mean at least two that I have direct experience with) is they will invite you and a bunch of other people in together where the boss-man will give you a 45 minute spiel on how great the insurance industry is and how rewarding your life can be as an insurance agent. From there they interview you.
During that first experience they had the interview immediately after the spiel. Everyone waited in the conference room, and they would work through everyone until they were done. I didn't bother. One the spiel was over I stood up and left. They quizzed me on it, and I informed them that I was not interested in a career in sales, had informed them of that fact, and didn't want to waste anymore of their time. I was REALLY tempted to get up in the middle of the presentation, but felt that was a bit extreme and I could show a wee bit of courtesy.
This morning I went to another spiel. This time I'm actually contemplating it. This time they call you back later to do the interview, so no need to make a spectacle of myself. Of course, the next step in the process is actually to consult with Dad. When you've got a dad who spent 30 years in the insurance industry it is necessary that he approve of the company and position before you proceed with the rest of it all.
And while we're speaking of valuable life lessons taught to me by my father: When it rains for the first time in a long time, it brings the oil to the top of the road and that makes things extra-slick, so you need to drive extra carefully. Consider this a public service announcement as the weather starts to turn.
posted by Swankette at 11:31 AM
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