Insurance industry magazines, including Life Insurance Selling, regularly profile highly successful producers who inevitably share the story of how they found their way to the financial services market.
Kids don't grow up dreaming of becoming a life insurance salesperson. The adults that do find their way to the industry are just lucky, I guess.
Often, these top producer types seem to get recruited into the industry by others already there who observe that they possess the personality, work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit to be successful as an agent. That was the case with this month's Producer Profile subject, Tim FitzGerald, MSFS, AEP, who is the reigning Council President (top producer) at New York Life. Back in 1985, FitzGerald felt unfulfilled professionally in construction management and went looking for a new career. New York Life's Lad Cazedeauz convinced FitzGerald that despite his aversion to being a "salesman," he could enjoy and excel in the financial services industry. The rest is history.
According to the 2008 Agency Universe Study, from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, the average age of a professional in the insurance industry is 54, and 60% of insurance industry professionals are older than 45. The topic, "Where will the next generation of agents come from (and who will train them)?" comes up regularly in industry circles.
In this era of 10% unemployment, it's high time the industry stepped up its recruiting of good people who are open to career changes. While we're on the cusp of a serious agent shortage, there is a surplus of great candidates right now who could have great, long careers in the industry -- if the industry would only do a better job of making them aware of the possibilities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of last November nearly a fifth of all men ages 25 to 54 did not have jobs -- the highest percentage since the bureau began counting in 1948.
Chances are you know someone who has been laid off within the past six months who is eager to work and open to new challenges. Do that person -- and our industry -- a favor by reaching out to them about pursuing a career in life insurance.
******
You can now follow Life Insurance Selling on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lifeinsselling. We Tweet and Retweet about topics, studies and comments we come across that are of specific interest to life insurance professionals -- and we promise never to Tweet about what we had for lunch.
