Agent : Like A Blind Date

Back in the old days, the dream jobs were doctors and lawyers (and most likely teachers and air stewardesses for women). These days, the best careers are often in investment banking or consulting – insurance sales is always a secondary consideration. Here’s why…

You have to do telemarketing
Cold calling is like going on a blind date, only worse – it’s over the phone. You read a script you have memorised and start speaking at 100 words a minute. What are the chances that the person you are calling is actually thinking about their personal finance and planning for their life? Very remote. This isn't a love match.

You’re under quota pressure
Your boss is pushing you to meet your quota. Your only chance after failing to find new clients is from your personal network. But if your friends give you a clear no and you keep pushing, chances are you might lose some friends. Sometimes you just need to play hard to get because there are so many agents out there doing the same thing as you. As they say, don’t call a girl every single day.

Your colleagues lack talent
The insurance sector is always hiring recent graduates and provides really good training. The downside is that anyone who is vaguely human can potentially get hired as an agent – there is no quality control. Turnover rates are high because people with good sales skills often leave for other industries.

You don’t have a stable salary
Similar to most sales roles, compensation is largely commission based. Successful agents make lots of money and have big houses. To be one of them, you should treat your job as your own business – if you don’t have that mentality, don’t try out this industry.

You don’t keep regular hours
You have to work when other people are resting and chilling at home, unless your client is a housewife. But on the flip side, you have lots of flexibility. And when all your late nights mean you bring in new business, the operations people will love you because technically you are keeping them in a job. Without salespeople and their clients, firms don’t need research analysts, product specialists and administrative staff. So, there are upsides to being an agent after all.