This blog entry is part three in Jacobson’s Insurance Careers Month series, which features our own Millennial bloggers providing their unique insights and insider perspectives into insurance as a great career choice. It is my pleasure to introduce Suzanne Hershman as our millennial guest blogger for this latest post. Suzanne is a Client Development Manager with our Professional Insurance Recruiting practice. Enjoy...
It all started with an unexpected, chance encounter. It was a beautiful Chicago summer evening. My dinner companion and I had just been seated next to a lively group of individuals who were quick to strike up a conversation with us. The conversation quickly turned into a game of “how do I know you?” Did we live in the same neighborhood? Go to the same dog park? Attend the same fundraising event? No.
It was insurance that had brought us together a few months earlier—at a Women’s Insurance Networking Group (WING) event. Following a long conversation, I left our chance meeting with a hug, a business card and a promise to stay in touch. The sense of camaraderie I felt during our meeting was instant, much like when I meet someone who went to my alma mater or when I meet a fellow alumna of my sorority. We shared a bond—that of working in the insurance industry.
While the excitement of this unexpected meeting was enough to make a lasting impression, it was the rarity of meeting a peer employed in insurance that truly made an impact. I can count the number of friends working in the industry on a single hand—and this needs to change.
In both my personal life and my role at Jacobson, I have had the privilege of watching a number of young professionals establish stable and promising careers within the insurance industry. I have watched as they built meaningful and rewarding careers as underwriters, government program analysts and claims adjusters.
These young professionals have a bright future—and their career path is limitless! With a forecasted four million Baby Boomers retiring on an annual basis, emerging insurance professionals have the unique ability to build a successful, stable and rewarding career in insurance. The potential for growth is unlimited and offers a chance for advancement and upward mobility that cannot be found in many other industries. The opportunity is there. It is up to us to take it.
For Millennials, young professional and recent graduates, the question has long been, “why insurance?” It is time to change our thinking and embrace the mindset of “why not insurance?” Why not move toward an industry that offers unmatched stability and rewarding interactions? Why not jumpstart your career in an industry with limitless opportunity? Why not, indeed.
