Insurance agent as career?

[Davidklt]

How would you know the thread poster wont turn out to be a good one?

 

If an ex tatoo artist featured there can earn more $10k a month. Why not him?

[Nkps]

i never doubt any one can be a good agent be it property or insurance or maid or what so ever, but what i am trying to tell you is that do not simply jump into it when you just READ the FEATURE in the paper... if today's paper feature is not PROPERTY AGENT but PORK SELLER, will you just go become a pork seller?

[Mivec9]

i was trying to tell him that.

 

the only guy i'm impressed in the paper is dennis wong, 53, driving bmw and earning $50,000 a month!!!

[Mivec9]

30K property agent out there, say 10K active agent

 

==============================================

 

So effectively only 1/3 of agents are "cho kang" type nia. So u are which category

[Nkps]

let put it this way:

 

10K active agent: full time agent

10K semi active agent: part time agent

10K non active agent: pass time agent

[Mivec9]

my wifey's sis just quited her p/t agent work.

 

Then another of my friend just joined full time for another firm.

 

eric cheng now with hsr? tot he was from propnex...talked to him b4

[Nkps]

not surprising many agt jump here and there.... but i m one loyal one... with XXX for coming to 5 yrs now

[Chucky2007]

I hope my commnets elow will not get any bashing from insurance advisors out there, i'm just sharing my points of view...

 

i was an agent from jan01-feb03.. i think i shoud be considered a slightly slightly above average agent then. i went to work for banks in march 2003 till now. Seriously, unless u have a very very successful mentor (insurance agency leader), i think it may be very risky.

 

i compare banks sales to insurance sales and my personal view is as below:

 

1. insurance agent have much higher business cost.. nothing is paid by company and got to pay for clients' coffee, lunch, dinner etc etc...

 

2. most of agents that i know back in 2001-2003 have either:

1. Quit, leaft industry and do something else

2. joined independent financial planning firm to sell variety of products from various insurance company and fund houses instead of working for just 1 individual insurance firm.

3. Joined the banks, starting from ground level as either personal banker or personal financial consultant, then work their way to become a relationship manager.... or become insurance specialist for bank's banassurance department supporting the relationship managers.

 

why dun u consider joining the banks and start off yr sales career from there? training of between 1-2 months provided, basic pay is reasonable (for totally zero experience in banking, i feel its reasonable)..

 

just sharing my 2cents..

[Ek7_]

Imho, to succeed in insurance/CFP or any sales job in that manner, you must be very determined, self motivated and disciplined or else cant succeed.... much more relevant than a desk job as income is not fixed not only must know how to earn but how to save and survive in dry months... also must be a consistent spender....

insurance agent job is probably too saturated here...

[Albeniz]

why dun u consider joining the banks and start off yr sales career from there? training of between 1-2 months provided, basic pay is reasonable (for totally zero experience in banking, i feel its reasonable)..

 

I am open to all options.

 

Does bank take in mid-career swticher, especially with my type of engineering background, without any relevant experience to their industry at all?

 

I understand banks do take in fresh engineering grads, but for mid-career switcher, I am not too sure. Can anyone from the banking industry please comment? Thanks.

Edited April 20, 2008 by Albeniz

[Ultramega]

Yes they do. my friend just switched to banking after 10 years in Optics field. but they expect you to have basic knowledge on investments, not totally zero.

[Karoon]

Albeniz

You are in your mid 30s, I presume?

[Albeniz]

Right.

[Karoon]

i thought so.

 

me too have an msc in microeectronics. was planning to join semicon industry once... "govt's call". those were the heady days when you heard of Tech paying 8 months bonus, but i turned down an offer and joined oil and gas instead.

 

our semicon industry has hit a wall for now, but I now there is a boom in photovoltaic solar cells - same technology/expertise... anyway i'm sure u know of this.

good luck in your search.

[Albeniz]

Those days when the semicon industry was good, some company share price could be as high as $30. Now, it dropped to as low as $1.

[Karoon]

tell me about it.

 

i bought chartered shares at $5 and counted on it to finance my wedding back then. then sunk like titanic till now

[karenhenry04]

Hello,

 

You may prefer Insurance agent as career just you need to be frank and communicative.

 

So, Keep updating yourself. :)

 

Insurance Sales Jobs

Edited November 11, 2014 by karenhenry04

[Tiger1]

No such thing as try try in insurance. Those who try try nvr evr made it big. If you are looking at just 3 to 4k salary, why not try non insurance jobs? This would definetely save you a lot of heartaches and a much easier job as compared to insurance sales.

 

This industry is only for those who don't have a back door, super hungry to succeed, super focus, live eat sleep insurance and 15k a month salary hardly make them happy.

 

Many tried and a few years later, realised, Omy, what have I done? Wasted all those years.

 

Not saying this is not a good industry but, like I said above, only join to succeed one time. No such thing as try try.