Forums

Hi all,

Should I continue the interview process with a position that I'm 75% sure I won't take if they make an offer?

I have been unemployed since February and have been finishing some higher ed. to finish my BS. in August. I started looking into internships/entry level jobs within the last month or so. A friend so mine directed me to a recruiter at a prominent Life Insurance company. We met for the first time last Friday, and he told me all about being an Insurance agent for them. I have been thinking about insurance and sales for a while now, I like the self-employed part of it. What I don't like and know I am not good at is the sales part. A BIG part of insurance is sales. I don't know why I started looking into this...Anyway, I think I won't end up taking the job but am wondering if I should continue the interview process.

I came from construction, so the business world is new for me, and I haven't really interviewed ever. I would like the practice, using the MT techniques and such, but don't want to waste the recruiter's time. Any advice? Hope I explained my situation well enough, ask questions if not, I don't mind.

Thanks again,

Nate

ashdenver's picture

If you cut yourself out of the running now, there's a 100% certainty you won't end up in the job. 

If you're not good at the sales part, see what mentoring programs they have in place for you to take advantage of.  Talk to them about what training or seminars they'll send you to. 

I hate selling but the fact is that if you make enough contacts (have enough conversations with a large enough number of people), you'll sell.  More often than not, when it comes to insurance sales, it's a matter of price that makes the sale for you.  If this company can't compete on prices, you wouldn't make much sales even if you were the best in the business. 

When it comes to insurance, as well, you have a bit of wiggle room with the prices you quote someone.  If the prospect balks at the premium, bump up the deductible and/or drop the coverage level a little bit to make the price more attractive.  (Tell them, of course, that this is how you're reaching that new figure because you're not trying to deceive them about the coverage levels you'd be providing them.)  Selling insurance is probably one of the easier things to sell because your hands are essentially tied on the prices.  Those prices come from actuarial tables from The Mother Ship of the insurance company so there's no haggling to really be done - like a used car salesman or a door-to-door vacuum salesman!  Insurance sales is mostly about developing the personal relationship (finding out what's important to them & playing to that) and sharing information (here's what this coverage costs). 

You don't have to be flashy or terribly schmoozy.  Just pleasant, organized and knowledgeable about your company's products. 

That said, I would definitely continue interviewing if only for the practice!  Who knows - they may end up making you an offer that "you just can't refuse!" 

In the six years I've been with my current employer, I've interviewed at least twice a year for other jobs just to keep my skills fresh and ready to go.  When I recently interviewed for the newest position (about 6 mos ago), I rocked every single interview because I was very well prepared and I felt extremely comfortable with the questions they asked & the answers I was giving. 

Besides, you don't get to decide for the recruiter what's a waste of their time!  It's their decision to make, not yours.  And you never know - they might find out something about you in that next interview that gets your lined up for a completely different job that you'd be absolutely perfect for.  If you quit interviewing now, you're arbitrarily limiting your choices and closing doors that you can't even know exist just yet. 

My advice: Stick it out and do your best.  Good luck, whatever you decide!

route514's picture

AshDenver-

Thanks for the encouragement and insight to selling insurance. You brought to light a couple of things I hadn't thought about before. ie that its the price that drives the sell.  You're right "you don't get to decide for the recruiter what's a waste of their time!" I don't want to turn down opportunities that I am unaware of, and want to get better at interviewing, so I think i will keep at it. You set me straight, I needed that.

Nate