Millennial Talent in the Insurance Industry

In the first post about millennia’s working in the insurance industry, I spoke with two friends who recently graduated and took jobs at large insurance companies, here is my follow-up to that post.

I have been using social media for insurance marketing for about two months now and I still get the same questions from the same friends, “So you work in insurance, that wasn’t your major?” or “So you go online and do stuff that has things to do with insurance?” but my favorite is “Wait you work for insurance, isn’t that really really boring for you?” My answer, no, no, and no.

Yes, their questions are not out of the ordinary, but I work with insurance not for insurance. Representing Astonish Results, I’m helping to oversee and interact with 300+ insurance agencies all in various stages of learning how to leverage digital marketing and social media. It’s funny because, even in my wildest dreams, I never thought my PR degree would have me working with insurance agencies that are blogging and tweeting and might just want to be your friend on Facebook.

I have even learned about the insurance industry. I now know that an annuity is an agreement to make periodic payments over a set period of time and that a premium is the price of insurance coverage to mitigate a certain risk over a certain amount of time. I know the difference between a captive and an independent and I even know how to go about getting my license if the itch ever comes necessary. It’s cool that at the same time many of our clients are learning social media and marketing lessons, I’m learning about the insurance industry, and we’re feeding off each other. And since everyone needs insurance, this knowledge will only help me in the future

Since a large number of agencies are utilizing social media for marketing campaigns, many will hire someone, usually a millennial, to help them best utilize the tools. Millennials understand the Internet, most of us have been using a computer since we could walk, so younger talent being attracted to a seemingly boring industry is not at all out of the ordinary, and will continue trending upwards.

In the previous millennial post, my insurance industry friends explained to me how it was not always where you worked but the people you work with that determines workplace contentment. I caught up with one of them over the weekend and asked how it was going.

My friend working at The Hartford maintains her position on enjoying her job. She explained to me that it is a business that will never go away, and since her work helps Americans, why not stay with the industry?

I then asked her the same question as the last time. Are there not a lot of older people in the office, don’t you feel out of place? She laughed and responded saying her company hires X amount of graduates every year so there are always fresh young faces, and having room to grow when someone new is hired is always a plus.

Then of course, still slightly having that college-minded like mentality, we ended up talking about money. I had to ask her what she was making. This was the college basketball player who I thought only enjoyed eating and going to the beach, so I figured she must be making a ton to be working in insurance.

“I like my salary but it’s probably not what you are thinking,” she said. “I really enjoy working where I do because of the people I work with and my main job satisfaction comes from my boss, he is always helpful and around for questions, and is open to hearing ideas and suggestions even though he is 30 years my senior.”

After she said that, it made sense. I feel the same way. I do not mind insurance marketing and speaking with clients from different agencies. The other day, while I was in the conference room, two employees stuck their heads in just to tell me I was doing a good job. The president of the company said he appreciates the work I do, and gets back to me directly when I have a question.

So the answer is still “No” to all the previous questions when my friends ask me about my job. Work is interesting, the people are cool, and like what I do – and that’s my recipe for success.

Let the bankers and librarians be bored, insurance is fun!