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If you're good at Insurance there is SERIOUS money in it.
It still amazes me how well my Insurance selling sister does. I almost wish I would have got into it. I make good money and she is at least DOUBLE my salary...
It starts out lean, but if you're good at it and can stick with it, you'll be doing VERY well in the long run.
Yeah, that's what I'm realizing. I also called the place and found out why they hadn't called me. The gentleman that is in charge of everything is on vacation this week and will be back next week. Which is why I've been waiting and freaking out. But yes, I realized that doing the door-to-door would be a serious lapse in judgment.
And yeah, customer service and sales are two VERY strong skills I have. What I love is that there aren't cold calls at this job. And the insurance branch I'll be working at apparently gets bonuses up the wazoo because they are always meeting their quotas and exceeding them. Like it's one of the top branches. So I can't wait. Hopefully this will be my last week at my current job. I just cannot handle it anymore.
Yeah, that's what I'm realizing. I also called the place and found out why they hadn't called me. The gentleman that is in charge of everything is on vacation this week and will be back next week. Which is why I've been waiting and freaking out. But yes, I realized that doing the door-to-door would be a serious lapse in judgment.
And yeah, customer service and sales are two VERY strong skills I have. What I love is that there aren't cold calls at this job. And the insurance branch I'll be working at apparently gets bonuses up the wazoo because they are always meeting their quotas and exceeding them. Like it's one of the top branches. So I can't wait. Hopefully this will be my last week at my current job. I just cannot handle it anymore.
OP, there are tons of personable people who enjoy talking to others. I'm not trying to burst your bubble here, just injecting some reality so you aren't too dissapointed when you are 6 months in and disillusioned.
Your parents should be helping you set reasonable expectations but any success stories are very far from the norm. If it were easy, any old fool who enjoyed gabbing with other people could make big $.
That said, I hope you do well and wish you good luck.
I would be suspect of any insurance job that says there isn't any cold calling. There are very few outside sales jobs that don't have any cold calling.
On the other hand, once you get your insurance license(s) that is something that is transferable and could potentially lead to other or better jobs down the road. It may be worth it to do that and learn the ropes of the industry.
Do they offer any sort of base? Are you an employee or is it more of an independent contractor sort of situation?
OP, there are tons of personable people who enjoy talking to others. I'm not trying to burst your bubble here, just injecting some reality so you aren't too dissapointed when you are 6 months in and disillusioned.
Your parents should be helping you set reasonable expectations but any success stories are very far from the norm. If it were easy, any old fool who enjoyed gabbing with other people could make big $.
That said, I hope you do well and wish you good luck.
Not sure what bubble you are bursting. And I'm not sure why you are bringing my family into this. I never said I enjoy "gabbing" with people. I just know how to make a sale and have someone leaving happy. Trust me, I prefer not working with people entirely but that's not a realistic option. And this branch isn't a joke. They are nationally recognized for what they do. So I'm not pulling this out of my behind. So I'm not sure how these comments were at all relevant.
And as for SquareBetterThanAll, yes there is base pay plus commission, plus health benefits, vacation/sick time, as well as other perks. And I'd be an employee. And again, no cold calling.
I’m direct not unfriendly so don’t take offense. You were excited about doing door to door cable tv sales, thinking it can lead to great things. When people said it’s bad you switched and now think selling insurance is great. You also dwell too much that these are well known companies...so what? Don’t look at who they are, look at what they want you to do. Being a well known organization does not indicate their level of integrity or the type of job you will have.
I am being helpful by trying to help you understand what’s going on so that you aren’t stepping into a situation with eyes shut. It would be of much better benefit to you if you understood the situation so you can get the most out of it. I’m talking from experience here.
Your implications that you were “recruited†for wonderful situations are off. None of the things in your OP are good options. You are seeing too many stars because an insurance company has a catchy jingle and is on TV or because a cable company is well known. If you were hired as an entry level actuary for that insurance org., that would be a career worth being excited about.
All these “recruiters†are calling you because they know the vast majority aren’t going to stick around for long. Statistics are not on your side here. Know what you are stepping into – get all the training you can, all the certifications they will fund, have a plan for what you may be able to use that for if/when this sales gig goes south. Use it for something good – for example, if you see it isn’t working for you, begin planning a transition to a more stable kind of profession – you may be able to use any certifications or training towards getting into an entry level financial analyst role.
It’s much more difficult to get an offer for a salaried position than it is to step into a sales position for insurance. Think about why that is. I know I’m likely wasting my time here but if you can get past the mumbo jumbo and be lucid about your situation, it can work out quicker and better for you. Alternatively, you can choose to believe the recruiters and sales managers who say you will make big $ if you work hard and stick it out. (note: it’s not like tons of people won’t work hard and stick it out. If everyone that did that could make big money, they would be making big money). Know what you’re getting into and have a strategy for how to use it.
I would be suspect of any insurance job that says there isn't any cold calling. There are very few outside sales jobs that don't have any cold calling.
On the other hand, once you get your insurance license(s) that is something that is transferable and could potentially lead to other or better jobs down the road. It may be worth it to do that and learn the ropes of the industry.
Do they offer any sort of base? Are you an employee or is it more of an independent contractor sort of situation?
As a guy who works in insurance a decade ago. When I was with Prudential, I was required to make 200 calls a day. Now, just because there is no cold calling, doesn't mean, there is no calling. It could simply mean you have to call that agency's large book of business/clients and cross sale. It's not a cold market, but you'll still have to call a lot people and ask for business.
Or they are an extremely established agency that they have a huge walk in and call in without requiring a producer to call at all.
Not sure what bubble you are bursting. And I'm not sure why you are bringing my family into this. I never said I enjoy "gabbing" with people. I just know how to make a sale and have someone leaving happy. Trust me, I prefer not working with people entirely but that's not a realistic option. And this branch isn't a joke. They are nationally recognized for what they do. So I'm not pulling this out of my behind. So I'm not sure how these comments were at all relevant.
And as for SquareBetterThanAll, yes there is base pay plus commission, plus health benefits, vacation/sick time, as well as other perks. And I'd be an employee. And again, no cold calling.
With Benefits, comes Quotas. Be sure to ask what that quota is. Make sure it's realistic. How many sales are they expecting from you? Which product are you selling?
With this type of work with pay, it sounds like you are working for an agent not an insurance company? If you work for an agent, it is a great way to get experience but I doubt there is a future for you to build a book of business. The benefits of being in insurance is the ability to build your very own book of business and live off of those renewals for years to come...but to do that, you'll have to be an agent, not a producer for someone else.
With this type of work with pay, it sounds like you are working for an agent not an insurance company? If you work for an agent, it is a great way to get experience but I doubt there is a future for you to build a book of business. The benefits of being in insurance is the ability to build your very own book of business and live off of those renewals for years to come...but to do that, you'll have to be an agent, not a producer for someone else.
... but also an opportunity to be eating ramen noodles daily for a year or more (or indefinitely if you're not very good at it). That situation is ultimately the question of whether one wants to be an employee or an entrepreneur (sort of). Personally I find if you are willing to take the risk of having little to no income for an extended period to build a book of business you might as well cut out the middle man and go 100% entrepreneur. My take is that working as an agent you have all the risk of being an entrepreneur with all of the meddling of working for someone else. Of course, others may see it as having the crutch of an established brand and product, so it goes both ways.
OP in my opinion based on what you've said, take the insurance job. You'll end up with licenses (which have value in the labor market) and you'll learn sales skills and knowledge that are transferable in an industry that always has openings for sales people and others knowledgeable in the field.
The door to door cable job, while building sales skills, doesn't have as much of an upside (in my opinion). Most jobs, even sales jobs, want not only sales experience but sales experience in x field. What you would be building is knowledge in selling in a field with more limited prospects. I would say there is much more value building skills in the financial services industry than the cable sales industry. I don't care if the cable job does end up paying more (or not).
This isn't the early 1900's, door to door sales are dead. You are just asking for trouble going door to door. Anyone who knocks on my door that I don't know or aren't expecting get's greeted with my rabid dog going buck wild and a shotgun. GET OFF MY LAND!
Last edited by The Thomas J; 10-09-2014 at 02:46 PM..
Reason: I'm just exaggerating to make a point.
This isn't the early 1900's, door to door sales are dead. You are just asking for trouble going door to door. Anyone who knocks on my door that I don't know or aren't expecting get's greeted with my rabid dog going buck wild and a shotgun. GET OFF MY LAND!
Yet the early 1900s were the last time someone ran out with a shotgun screaming GET OFF MY LAND!
They might be trying to rustle your horses or something.
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