Want to excel as an insurance agent? Work experience helps, but you’ll need a few other skills under your belt to do your very best. These soft skills are things you can develop along the way—on the job or off the job. But when you have them, they’ll make you an even more seasoned insurance agent and give you a competitive edge over others in your field.
Five soft skills for insurance agents
When you have these in your professional toolkit, you’ll be more qualified as an insurance professional:
- A positive attitude. This might seem easy, but keeping your cool when handling an upset customer isn’t always a simple task. The good news is, you can improve your attitude and your ability to handle negativity—it all takes practice. Keep a smile on your face and your chin up! Understand that customers are often upset at the situation, not you. If you can keep this separate in your mind and be empathetic towards the person, it will help you maintain a positive attitude.
- Good communication. This includes both verbal and written communication. The ability to express yourself and understand others will help you get tasks accomplished efficiently and correctly. Good written communication includes proper grammar, spelling, and remembering to keep a positive tone of voice in emails. Verbal communication is a lot about listening—so practicing good listening skills is half the battle!
- Problem-solving. Insurance agents deal directly with customers. And the ability to understand someone’s needs and develop a solution is paramount to being good at your job. You can develop your problem-solving skills by asking questions and understanding your role and what options are available to you for helping customers. You can also build your skills through puzzles, riddles, and word games.
- Fast learning. The insurance industry is constantly changing to remain in compliance with federal regulations and to stay relevant and competitive. And products and processes change, you’ll need to be flexible and able to roll with things. Fast learning will help you adapt and stay good at your job.
- This is very important when handling customers. You simply must be patient. Sometimes a person just needs to vent, so lending an ear will help. Trust that you’ll be able to help the person or connect them with someone who can. Your patience will pay off when customers delight in top-notch service.
Are you looking for your next insurance job?
As you perfect your soft skills, you may feel ready for a new job in the insurance industry. And Insurancerecruiters.com can help. To learn more and check out our job openings, visit us online!
