Sample resume for an insurance sales professional

If you're going for a position selling insurance, you first need to sell yourself on your resume. Check out this sample to learn how.

By Monster Contributor

If you’re seeking out insurance sales jobs, you first need to sell yourself on your resume by showing employers that what you bring to the table is exactly what they're looking for. For inspiration, view the sample resume for an insurance sales professional below, and download the insurance sales professional resume template in Word.

Jobs for insurance sales reps are projected to grow by 10% (or 49,800 jobs) from 2016 through 2026, which is faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). You'll find the highest level of employment for this job in the following states: California, Florida, Texas, New York, and Ohio; and in the following metropolitan areas: New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta.

As an insurance sales rep, you can expect to earn a median wage of $49,710 per year, or $23.90 per hour, according to the BLS.

Additionally, you can search for insurance sales jobs on Monster. Many major insurance companies, such as State Farm (a top home and auto insurer in the US), recruit for their agency force year-round and are always on the lookout for new talent.

Regardless of whether you’re an established agent or an aspiring one, you’ll need a resume that speaks to insurance companies’ needs. Follow the advice from State Farm agency recruiters to create a resume that will generate interviews. “Not having insurance industry experience isn’t really a big factor,” says Rickey Broussard, a central recruiting zone recruiter specializing in hard-to-fill positions. He explains that many State Farm insurance agent recruits are from other industries. “We look for candidates who are coachable and willing to learn,” he says.

Integrity and sales ability are more important than a background in insurance, says Mark Welker, State Farm veteran and agency recruiter since 2000. “Attitude and enthusiasm are key,” he says. “We would rather hire someone with the right competencies and attitude versus someone with industry experience but who shows signs of burnout.”

Quantify sales results

Think numbers when it comes to your resume, whether that’s dollar amounts, percentages, sales rankings or some other figure. If you have sales experience, make sure you:

  • Include revenue you generated: If you helped propel your territory or company to record-high earnings, be sure to showcase that as well.
  • Highlight a track record of meeting quotas: If you exceeded your quota, use a percentage to show how far above target you were. For example, “Routinely exceeded sales quotas, outperforming targets by as much as 165 percent throughout four-year tenure with ABC Company.” Also, be sure to include sales awards you’ve earned.
  • Include the number of new accounts you signed: You could also include the percentage increase in sales you delivered from your existing customer base.
  • Use numbers to give context to your sales ranking: For example, “Quickly became a standout producer, with top 15 percent ranking among a 380-member sales force.”

If you lack sales experience, it’s even more critical to demonstrate your bottom-line contributions. You may need to think a bit more creatively to show this, but it can be done. Describe individual or team efforts that elevated sales/profits and use numbers to quantify these achievements.

In addition, an insurance agent’s resume should include his volunteer work. “We look closely at community service and leadership,” says Broussard. “In reviewing resumes, we ask, ‘Which organizations are this candidate involved with? Who is establishing themselves as a leader in the community?’”

An insurance agent candidate who understands that the resume is a marketing document will be more successful than one who simply views it as a career chronology. “If you can’t sell yourself on paper, how can you sell the State Farm product?” Broussard asks. “Take a page or two, tell me who you are, where you’ve been, how you got to where you are now and where you’re going,” he says.

Insurance Sales Professional Resume Sample

Carla Foster
Sometown, IL 55555 | Phone: 555-555-5555 | cf@somedomain.com | LinkedIn URL

Insurance Sales Professional

Entrepreneurial DEF Insurance agent with a history of surpassing customer and employer expectations. Leverage consultative-sales strengths to nurture relationships and close deals. Comprehensive knowledge of financial and insurance products, services and best practices.

Specialties:

  • Personal and commercial insurance: auto, home, business, health, life
  • Retirement plans: IRA (Traditional and Roth), 401(k), Solo 401(k), 403(b)
  • Education plans: 529 plans, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts
  • Long-term-care and estate planning

Experience

ABC AGENCY / DEF INsurancE | Sometown, IL

Insurance and Financial Services Agent, 3/2013 to Present | Agency Intern, 9/2012 to 3/2013

Manage all phases of the sales cyclefrom prospecting to close and follow-up support. Represent a full line of insurance and financial products, serving as a trusted advisor to businesses and individuals.

  • Drove a 15% revenue increase in FY2016, outperforming “high-reach” sales targets every quarter.
  • Increased referral business by 27% in 2016. Initiated an aggressive campaign of cold-calling, offering referral incentives and participating in networking events.
  • Earned awards for excellent sales performance, including Legion of Honor and Bronze Star awards.
  • Met and frequently exceeded the financial objectives of represented clients. Assessed risk tolerance and investment/risk-management goals to recommend solutions optimally suited to client needs.
  • Provided sound financial, insurance and wealth-management services to protect and grow client assets.

ABC RETAIL COMPANY | Sometown, IL

Sales Representative, 10/2010 to 6/2012

Served as a department store sales rep while attending college. Excelled within service-oriented industry.

Education & Training

ABC UNiVERSITY | Sometown, IL
Bachelor of Science, Major: Business Management | Minor: Marketing
Designations: FINRA Series 6 and 63; FINRA Broker/Agent; Life and Health; Illinois Long-Term Care (LTC) and Property & Casualty (P&C) licenses; Financial Services Certified Professional (FSCP)
Recent Training: Long-term care, estate planning and retirement
Member: National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors

“…Carla has that rare combination of drive, industry knowledge and interpersonal skills.
She is a rising star at our company…” — Jordan Yu, Supervisor
“…Carla was incredibly helpful when my husband and I switched our insurance provider to
DEF Insurance. I know we made the best choice!” — Mary Hart, Client

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