There is plenty of space between desire and reality in many occupations. In the series "The Anonymous Job Protocol" people tell quite subjectively what their job shapes - whether veterinarian, prosecutor or supervisor in the job center.
"My main job as a merchant for insurance and finance is to advise my clients - in everything that concerns their insurance - I broker, extend and renew the contracts and help the customers get their money in case of damage.
Compared to many other colleagues, I am financially well secured because I am permanently employed by a smaller insurance agency. My clients know and appreciate me, even though I'm still relatively young.
I came to the profession quite classically through a student internship. I have previously graduated from high school; But I also know from colleagues that they started their training with a good secondary school diploma.
We negotiate about the existence of humans
The grades are not the deciding factor here. In addition to a basic sense of numbers, empathy and empathy are important. Insurance may sound like a dry topic, but we often negotiate about people's livelihoods.
To insure means to give a certain guarantee for life and destiny and to help people in an emergency. I do not always manage to keep the unhappy stories I meet in the office and not to take her home. Often, customers get into bad situations, such as bad weather, accidents or death.
photo gallery
28 pictures
The anonymous job log: This is what everyday life really looks likeI had a case where a young customer of mine died suddenly. A friendly and sympathetic guy who was the same age as me. His father called to help us get things started, so he could cancel his insurance - he was completely disconnected on the phone. That was very hard for me.
But there are also cases where you can only shake your head. I think of the craftsman on assembly, who has devastated a hotel room drunk. When he got home, he took to the shower, left his underpants on the drain and forgot to turn off the shower. Of course it ran all night. Loss amount: around 80,000 euros. In addition, he had not taken out liability insurance. Of course he did not have the money on the bankbook, so he had to go to private bankruptcy.
I work in the field and in the field. This means that I also drive home to the customers to have conversations there. This is often very nice, especially if you know the customers longer. It happens that they even bake extra cakes for me. That's a nice appreciation.
The work is not always so pleasant and positive. It often happens that customers want to play employees against each other. For example, a client talks to one of my colleagues, who grants him a ten percent discount. But then he comes to me and asks twice. This happens quite often.
1800 euros gross - pressure from above
It is often said about us insurance agents that we are all lone fighters. That's true for the most part. If you work at an agency like me, you're more likely to have nice colleagues around you. I think that's better, because the pressure of competition can be stressful.
Our industry has a very bad reputation, which is why my job is often not easy. And it's true, there are also black sheep, for example, did not need until 2008 as an insurance broker even a training. A plumber could sell insurance after work.
Many of my colleagues are suffering from great existential fears - especially those who are not employed. Many also get tremendous pressure from above to do good and many degrees. We are supposed to deliver numbers to make our commissions higher.
Speaking of commission: Of course I can get that too. The commissions depend on the amount of degrees I manage. My salary is quite good with a base salary of 1800 euros gross. The additional commissions I share with my boss in equal parts. Some of us who are self-employed earn more, sometimes less. We all have to look where we are staying.
Do not cheat the customer
If the representative is with you and asks you little questions to get an idea of your situation, but just spreads the product range, then you can be sure that you have just landed in a pure sales pitch - which you, if you do not watch out, can easily be pulled over the table.
In my view, liability insurance, home insurance and occupational disability insurance are the insurance companies that everyone should take care of. Also, people have much more to worry about their retirement plans - especially the younger ones. They prefer to look for cheap insurance on the internet. That may work, but I think you should seek personal advice on such an important topic.
more on the subject
There are colleagues who say: 'When the customer says no, the sale really starts.' I find that reprehensible. We should advise holistically, but needs-oriented and give the customer nothing. Of course, this is still done often.
I am also aware of providers who even encourage this behavior - in particular so-called structural distributors. I know that it always happens that it says from the top: 'We have not sold enough home contents insurance, take care!' I'm glad that my supervisor is not so, because this mentality is shabby and unprofessional in my eyes.
That's one of the reasons why I doubt my choice of career, because it's not an easy business. But for me the positives are more important. Often I can help people. That's actually our core business - even if it often does not look that way. "
