Insurance Sales Agent

Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:

• Develop professional relationships or networks.
• Gather customer or product information to determine customer needs.
• Customize financial products or services to meet customer needs.
• Sell products or services.
• Calculate costs of goods or services.
• Review accuracy of sales or other transactions.
• Process sales or other transactions.
• Take product orders from customers.
• Attend events to develop professional knowledge.
• Study product information to acquire professional knowledge.

Typical Working Conditions

• Having telephone conversations.
• Using e-mail.
• Dealing with external customers.
• Frequent decision-making.
• The importance of being accurate or exact.
• Sitting.
• Meeting strict deadlines.
• Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
• High levels of competition.

Tools & Technology used by Insurance Sales Agents

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

Most Important Skills for Insurance Sales Agents

• Listening—Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading—Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking—Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Persuading Others—Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
• Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing—Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Helping Others—Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Learning New Things—Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Negotiating—Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
• Making Decisions—Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Most Important Knowledge Areas for Insurance Sales Agents

• Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Sales and Marketing—Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Education and Training—Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Mathematics—Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Administration and Management—Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Computers and Electronics—Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Clerical—Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Economics and Accounting—Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Law and Government—Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Interests
Different careers may be a good fit for your personality or interests. This career is:

• Enterprising—Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional—Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

Low indicates 25% of workers earn less and 75% earn more. Median indicates 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more. High indicates 75% of workers earn less and 25% earn more.

Demand
This career is seeing high growth compared to other careers. There will be a need for about 10,690 new Insurance Sales Agents to meet market demand between 2018-2028. This includes the demand due to replacement (workers leaving the occupation or retiring) as well as growth.

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

This career requires at least at least a high school degee, but many professionals have an Associates or Bachelors degree. This career does require a license.

View the local post-secondary education options from our partners: Central Lakes College & MSTATE.

Helpful High School Courses
Examples of helpful classes that help you prepare for this career:

• Accounting
• Algebra I and II
• Business Law
• Business Management
• Composition
• Economics
• International Business
• Marketing
• Office Procedures
• Public Speaking
• Statistics
• e-Commerce

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise