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I teach in a small town in upstate New York and am really looking into something else. Insurance sounds like the best idea but it would be hard to see it in the area. Are there an hotspots that need insurance salesmen in the United States or Canada?
Here in the Midwest, there are regularly postings from State Farm Insurance and Farmers Insurance recruiters looking for agents or trainees. They seem to be aggressively expanding here. If you have any interest in living in Illinois/Indiana/Ohio, I would recommend looking at Craigslist or SimplyHired and searching for insurance postings.
I know one State Farm agent who has what's called a "2.0" office or something similar (that's how he described it to me.) Basically, his is an office that embraces technology and he's the youngest agent in the county. They seem to be encouraging that type of growth. I love working with him because he's fast, easy to reach by email, and he "gets it" when I talk about business ideas or changing needs.
Speaking as someone who lived for years with an insurance industry professional (for one of the companies referenced in the above post, actually) you can get into the insurance game with a variety of different educational backgrounds (my ex had an English degree when he became a catastrophe claims adjustor, then became a CPA and worked in special investigations, auditing, and forensic accounting and fraud analytics within the industry). But being an agent/salesman pretty much blows. You're not really a company employee, you're contract, and it's commission work. There is tremendous turnover. There are better jobs within the insurance industry, if you can stomach them.
I also taught English and history. After a couple of years I got into journalism (business and high-tech industries) and then I worked in PR. Both journalism and PR didn't start off much higher $ than teaching, but they quickly increased, depending on your niche (generalist in both areas isn't going to pay much).
I also missed teaching, so in my spare time I volunteered in different programs. You can always find a way to keep your foot in teaching.
An education degree, sets you up for a bagger position at most super markets. That is about it.
That might not actually be so bad. I was just talking with a neighbor last night. She has worked for a supermarket chain for 5 years. Every 6 months she is eligible for a raise. She only pays $84 every two weeks for family healthcare and dental. The company matches her 401k contributions and she said managers can hit 6 figures.
Seems my present admin think I have been slackinbg in the classroom management aspect--teaching in a lock-down facility--where the staff engages the kids in conversation during class time, have said negative comments about the teachers and the kids have sided with house staff--yet I shoulod have found a way to "earn" thier respect like the house staff has. Besides, the kids had ZERO problems at the previous facility--well DUH, the previous facility will not allow the kids to TALK, STAND, or bring drawing books, paper and colored pencils to class---
I will be looking at grants and funding sources to start a school or service that works with at-risk kids in some manner. I refuse to sit back and watch the NEO-educators like Michelle Rhee, Bill GAtes, and Mark Zuckenburg destroy education.
State Farm abd Allstate will hire a person simply because they have degree...any degree. They provide training. I know many people, mostly teachers, who were hired based on having a 4 year degree. Some didn't even have the people skills necessary to to sell ice in the desert.
I once considered HR. Even talked with a headhunter who put together a package and had placed other teachers in various positions including training, HR, and management. Since they were only pais after I found a job, it must have been a viable avenue as they generally spent considerable time on each person.
A good teacher can teach anything if they know the material...
The trouble is sales is a notoriously bad field with little money being made in it.
Insurance sales may not be that bad. You have to be licensed. Every insurance agent I have ever had makes more money than me.
*shrug*
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