As with any career, you need to have an understanding of the insurance industry to get your foot in the door. The higher up the chain you're looking to join, the more you'll need to know. In terms of entry level position though, different employers will often be seeking specific skills or characteristics.
The good thing about the insurance industry is that it is extremely varied. There are roles of all types featuring at any level of the corporate ladder. So from the top brokers down to the salespeople on the phones, there's something to suit almost any skill set. So in terms of how easy it is to find a job, a lot will be dependent on where you're looking and what position it is that you're applying for.
Let's take one obvious example. If you were looking to become an insurance underwriter at a major firm then you'd need to ensure that you had substantial experience within a previous role. There may also be educational requirements, possibly up to degree level. This is quite a technical role and therefore it requires a decent level of understanding to perform it successfully. Whilst everybody has to start somewhere, entry level positions may be difficult to come by.
But let's now go to the opposite end of the spectrum. As previously mentioned, a large part of modern insurance as a business is the sales floor. This is dominated by telephone operators either helping current insurance policy holders with their claims and other issues or selling to consumers who have requested a quote.
There is huge demand for employees in this kind of role and therefore your chances of getting employed for a major insurer are greatly increased. Often there won't be much in the way of requirements either, beyond being personable and having good customer service skills. The rest of your knowledge will be developed on the job. Therefore you can easily start with little or no experience and work your way up.
Once you're working for an insurance company you have a great opportunity to learn and develop your role. This means that over time your seniority will rise and the job will become a career. This means that you can work your way through management and gain more responsibility, along with all the benefits that come with it.
In terms of actually tracking down the jobs in the first place, you'll need to be alert to the opportunities. The more specialist the role that you are targeting is, the fewer jobs that are likely to be available to you. This means making sure your CV is with the right people and using the Internet to track down local firms that might be hiring.
The right insurance job is out there somewhere, it's up to you though to find it. Insurance is a specialist industry and as such there are roles that you won't find anywhere else; however, there are others where skills are transferable. So are they hard to get? Well, no harder than in any other industry, as long as you have the skills required of course.
The good thing about the insurance industry is that it is extremely varied. There are roles of all types featuring at any level of the corporate ladder. So from the top brokers down to the salespeople on the phones, there's something to suit almost any skill set. So in terms of how easy it is to find a job, a lot will be dependent on where you're looking and what position it is that you're applying for.
Let's take one obvious example. If you were looking to become an insurance underwriter at a major firm then you'd need to ensure that you had substantial experience within a previous role. There may also be educational requirements, possibly up to degree level. This is quite a technical role and therefore it requires a decent level of understanding to perform it successfully. Whilst everybody has to start somewhere, entry level positions may be difficult to come by.
But let's now go to the opposite end of the spectrum. As previously mentioned, a large part of modern insurance as a business is the sales floor. This is dominated by telephone operators either helping current insurance policy holders with their claims and other issues or selling to consumers who have requested a quote.
There is huge demand for employees in this kind of role and therefore your chances of getting employed for a major insurer are greatly increased. Often there won't be much in the way of requirements either, beyond being personable and having good customer service skills. The rest of your knowledge will be developed on the job. Therefore you can easily start with little or no experience and work your way up.
Once you're working for an insurance company you have a great opportunity to learn and develop your role. This means that over time your seniority will rise and the job will become a career. This means that you can work your way through management and gain more responsibility, along with all the benefits that come with it.
In terms of actually tracking down the jobs in the first place, you'll need to be alert to the opportunities. The more specialist the role that you are targeting is, the fewer jobs that are likely to be available to you. This means making sure your CV is with the right people and using the Internet to track down local firms that might be hiring.
The right insurance job is out there somewhere, it's up to you though to find it. Insurance is a specialist industry and as such there are roles that you won't find anywhere else; however, there are others where skills are transferable. So are they hard to get? Well, no harder than in any other industry, as long as you have the skills required of course.
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