If You’re Writing an Insurance Sales Resume...

© Copyright 2009
David Alan Carter / All Rights Reserved

...you’ve got competition. With the worst job market in decades, people are chasing job opportunities in herds. And you can expect them to be chasing your job, and all other insurance sales jobs.

Still, there's room for some optimism. Let's start with what the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics had to say regarding the longer-term prospects for a job in insurance sales (the following was reported just before the 2008-2009 downturn in the economy)...

Insurance Sales. "Employment of insurance sales agents is expected to increase by 13 percent over the 2006-16 period, which is about as fast as average for all occupations... Agents may face increased competition from traditional securities brokers and bankers as they begin to sell insurance policies. Insurance sales agents will need to expand the products and services they offer as consolidation increases among insurance companies, banks, and brokerage firms and as demands increase from clients for more comprehensive financial planning..."

Also, the following...

"... opportunities will be favorable for persons who are college graduates and who have sales ability, excellent interpersonal skills, and expertise in a wide range of insurance and financial services... Multilingual agents should have good job prospects because they can serve a wider range of customers. Additionally, insurance language tends to be quite technical, so agents who have a firm understanding of relevant technical and legal terms will also be desirable to employers..."

And finally, for you independent agents...

"Independent agents who incorporate new technology into their existing businesses will remain competitive. Agents who use the Internet to market their products will reach a broader client base and expand their business. Agents who offer better customer service also will remain competitive..."

I Can Help In One Of 3 Ways

I’m a former recruiter and resume writer. Emphasis on the ‘former,’ so I won't be writing your insurance sales resume myself. These days, I’m committed to helping folks either write their own resume, or identify resume products and services that do outstanding work at reasonable prices.

So, regarding those 3 ways...

1 - Tapping A Professional To Write Your Insurance Sales Resume

Many people don’t consider utilizing a professional resume writing service until they’ve either exhausted themselves or thrown away good job opportunities by submitting a sub-par resume. So, should you consider hiring a professional?

The answer is yes – if your resume is going to be fighting for attention in an extremely competitive field, or if your work history or job qualifications are difficult for you to express in a promotional and unbiased manner.

I can help you identify that "pro," that special writer who is qualified to deliver a polished document that puts your best foot forward in a tough job market. The page Review of Resume Writers identifies 9 of the more popular companies out there, and I rank these writers on values like...

• - Quality of workmanship
• - Credentials
• - Pricing
• - Guarantees

You’ll find in-depth reviews on each of the 9 companies. But if you’re pressed for time, you can click straight to the website of top-rated ResumeWriters.com. As the largest network of certified resume writers on the internet, they've got unparalleled resources to best match you with a writer most qualified in your profession. Plus, they guarantee you'll get interviews with their resume. That cinched the deal with me.

2 - Using a Resume Builder To Help Write Your Insurance Sales Resume

For those of you with the time and the inclination to do it yourself, the page Review of Resume Builders identifies 5 of the more popular software products to help you craft your own resume. A good resume builder can prompt you with the necessary questions, help you phrase your answers, and organize those job responsibilities and career accomplishments in a manner that opens doors.

I compared 5 of the most popular resume builders on the web. I wrote in-depth reviews for each, and gave them star ratings based on the following:

• Relevant Bells and Whistles
• Options in Formatting
• Ease Of Use
• Value

There is a lot of junk out there. I know. I’ve been wading through it looking for the good stuff. With prices ranging from $9.95 to $39.95, the 5 builders I’ve identified are reputable and affordable. But – a couple of these resume builders are better than the others. I’ll show you which ones.

3 - Writing Your Insurance Sales Resume From Scratch

If your budget won’t allow it or you’d just like to see what you can do without the help of pros and technology, I can help get you started. Take, for example, the resume objective. This will likely be the single most important sentence on your insurance sales resume. Click the above link to open a new window and visit our sister site with a home page dedicated to crafting a killer resume objective. Look along the right hand margin for examples of resume objectives written for past clients.

The second page of that site discusses which resume format is the better match for your experience and qualifications.

Finally, a collection of all my resume articles can be found at the website ResumeAssistance.net, including "Little Kisses Of Death" and "Why Nobody Wants To Read Your Resume."

Start Now

Whether you choose to go it alone, get a little help from a resume builder, or hand the project off to a professional resume writer, get the ball rolling. Your insurance sales resume needs to be top flight and it needs to be out there, competing.

Look over the reviews; read the articles. And start now.

Best of luck in your job search!

--David

David Alan Carter is a former headhunter and the founder of Resume One of Cincinnati. For more than ten years, he personally crafted thousands of resumes for satisfied clients from all occupational walks of life -- entry level to executive.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics - Insurance Sales

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