Perhaps you’re a recent graduate looking for an easy gig to get into till you figure out what the next step should be. Or, maybe you’re in the middle of transitioning careers and need to build a “bridge” to get to your next step in life that is both economically feasible and can fit in a busy schedule. Whatever your situation may be, working in the life insurance business might be the big break you’ve been looking for.
While the job definitely has its pros and cons, there is something to be said for the amount of flexibility the work offers. So, regardless of where you are in life, it might be worth considering this career as a viable pathway, and hopefully, this brief guide will help to formulate your thoughts about the career shift.
Jobs Everywhere
Getting a head start in the life insurance business is relatively easy, which is why it is a recommended pathway for many people who find themselves in between careers, or recent college graduates looking to earn enough money to pay off their student loans. To become a registered and licensed life insurance agent is a fairly straightforward process, and in fact, no higher education is required. Furthermore, life insurance jobs are plentiful. If you search for more info here, you will note the sheer number of agencies looking to hire people as agents. This is because selling life insurance works primarily on a commission basis rather than a fixed salary – so, companies don’t lose money by creating more positions. If you are willing to focus on increasing your income by relying on commissions, then this might be a wise career choice.
High Commissions
Insurance agents, especially the ones who take the time to cultivate their client base and employ savvy marketing techniques, can charge fairly high commission rates on every policy they sell. Other facets of the insurance business – be it auto or health insurance – do not offer the same earning potential. This makes the life insurance business an attractive career to cultivate in the long run.
Flexible Hours
Working as a life insurance agent means that you do not have to be chained to a desk 9am – 5pm every day. If you’re one of those people who resent the grind and in search of a flexible working schedule, then this might be the job for you. Of course, there are agents who work for other companies full time, but even they get to schedule appointments with prospective clients according to their preferred day(s) and time(s).
Independent agents can build their work entirely around their daily routines, and so they are granted even more flexibility. Weekdays can then be left to run errands, work on your other business ventures, take care of the kids, or generally do whatever else you need to get done without being hindered by the 9am to 5pm grind.
Expand Your Skill Set
Life insurance isn’t simply a matter of memorizing the nitty gritty detail of different policies and services, only to regurgitate them to potential clients. There is actually quite a bit of work involved that will require you to broaden your skill set and encourage you to become a more dynamic and efficient worker.
As an insurance agent, you will need to focus a great deal of your attention towards growing your business, learning marketing techniques, become comfortable with different social media platforms and even some SEO for website building skills in order to ensure that you have a growing roster of clients. All aspects of intellectual inquiry you might have would be “fed” by this field, which makes it an exceptionally exciting job for people who are curious and want to be challenged.
Benefits of the Slow-Build
One thing that should be made clear is that a career in the life insurance business takes time to cultivate, and will not be a huge money maker in the beginning. Since most of the income generated lies in being able to secure commissions from sales, an agent needs to do a lot of groundwork first in getting his or her name out there. That being said, the market remains wide open and there are always opportunities for more agents to join the workforce. So, with the right mindset, you could be killing it as a life insurance agent, provided that you dedicate the time necessary to grow your clientele.
If you are in the market for a new career, and want something that will afford you a lot of flexibility, then life insurance might be the right opportunity for you. All you need to be is a people person and willing to put the work into building a strong customer base.