Becoming a State Farm Agent

[kjbaseball32]

I've read hundreds of posts on here and my mind is absolutely fried. I currently work as a Farmers agent and am interviewing with SF on Tuesday morning. I've been trying to wrap my mind around the new SF era and all of its changes over the past 5 years or so. Many people early on in this thread were very negative about the AA04/AA05 contracts, but I see that much of those opinions have changed. What made the moods change?

I'm not 100% sold on SF, but I know it's a better opportunity than what I have at Farmers. I started from scratch over 15 months, did everything that was asked of me (IMO), hired...and fired...a staff member, put in 60 hour weeks making cold calls until 7:30 at night, and am not seeing anything come out of it. My work has fallen on hard times and the money just sucks. Farmers has made it so hard to succeed that it's just not worth chasing the dream over there anymore.

My initial interest in SF was because I was sick of "losing" to them in a quoting war. I have actually got to the point that if somebody is with SF, I don't even waste my time with the quote. How bad is that? Farmers has taken rate in my area twice this year already and are really handcuffing us new agents on succeeding.

Okay, after all this rambling, somebody that is currently an SF agent, give me some honest advice. In today's economic state, is it worth pursuing a career in insurance? And even better, pursuing it with SF? I will post more about who I am and where I'm from at a later time simply because I'm still on contract with Farmers.

 

[kjbaseball32]

Some quick advise: To get approved to be in the pool, and then to get approved for a posting, you better sound like a Farmers all-star, or rookie-of-the-year sort of candidate. You also better make your decision to go with State Farm sound based on "better brand" or "better opportunity to sell financial services" or such as opposed to we have cheaper rates at the moment, or the fact that you aren't going to make it as a Farmer's agent.

I have sat on panels in which "re-treads" have interviewed. The pre-conception is, "If you couldn't make it at XYZ company, why would we want to give you an agency with the best insurance company in the world?" (That's the thinking, cruel as it sounds.)

You have to make yourself appear to have tons of potential, and some documented success, persistence, and work ethic. That will make the panel think, "Hey, we should steal this guy away from the competition so he can produce for US instead of them."

State Farm is very proud, even cavalier. We think (know) that this is the best agency opportunity around and are accustomed to candidates crawling across broken glass for a shot to be an agent with us. Other companies will say, "Here's your binder, give it a shot". We, on the other hand, look at you like you are marrying one of our kids. We don't want any bad seed.

Only you can decide if it is worth it to you to make a move. However, if you are going to deteriorate where you are, you best start moving sooner rather than later while you look like a candidate with great potential and not one who couldn't make it somewhere else.

I appreciate the input and all is great advice. After being with Farmers for 15 months and starting from scratch, I'm not a dime in debt. My agency is growing and I will make it over "here" but the company just sucks. My decision would have nothing to do with rate to be very honest. I think it is awesome (but frustrating) when I speak with a potential client and they say "why would I go with you when I'm already with State Farm?" What a great compliment to the mindset of the SF family.

My ambitions are to grow with a company that wants ME as an agent, not one that just gives you a binder and a desk and says "good luck." I'm doing a lot of research in to all carriers, but SF definitely seems like the only move I would be willing to make. I don't see any of the majors (Allstate & AmFam primarily) as being any better than what I have now. Farmers has their heads up their asses when it comes to outfitting an agent to succeed and it just gets really frustrating to say the least.

If anybody out there thinks Farmers would be a great career move, I would love to speak with you before making the stupid move I made.

Other advice about becoming a SF agent would be much appreciated from any and all who are out there. My ears are open and I want to make the best decision possible for myself and my family.

Thanks.

 

[Sailor]

Until they change the contract and treat the new agents like partners instead of a "tool to my bonus", I will remain as negative as ever about the "opportunity".

 

[xrac]

....Geez, SFTICA, when did the noobs become so frickin' whiney? Wonder what they'll sound like when they have to work past 5:00 in the afternoon.

I think the free proliferation of information on the internet is providing noobs with acess to information that they didn't use to have. Some of the things I have been involved in (not SF) I would have avoided if I had had more information. Companies that do not offer agents a fair deal will find it harder to recruit noobs.

 

[infoe]

I know its the job of the recruiter to sound excited and make me feel good about my opportunity and chances.

 

[aKidWorkinIt]

Huckleberry: Very nicely said sir.

Caliban: I had not seen you speak in a while, but when you do, it seems to be quality every time. I know you were answering the question of another, but I thank you for that answer, and will be using it myself.

 

[SKQuinn]

Thanks for the information guys. I've been talking to the recruiter for my area and also another State Farm agent. I have absolutely no experience in the insurance business so he advised me to start out as a team member to get my foot in the door and learn the business a little and then from there try to go forward with becoming an agent and owning my own office. He is confident that he can get me on somewhere as a team member. I'm not really sure what that means as far as job wise, but it seems like a good chance for me to get my feet wet and learn the business.

Does this seem like a good idea? And another thing, the thought of becoming an independent agent down the road is still lingering in my head. Would this be a good way to learn the ins and outs of the business and give me the experience I would need to maybe one day go independent? And if so, what are the pros and cons of being an independent agent as opposed to owning my own State Farm office?

I don't think I can say much more than what's been said here already. I have a friend that has a SF agency and I am insured with him. I have been told that SF and Allstate are high in premiums (although I don't feel mine is high)---THUS the advantage of being an independent broker and getting the lowest premium for your client. You can't go wrong learning from one of the best, can you? You can always go independent later if that's your desire.

(Sorry if this has been said before, I didn't get through all of the posts here

Best of luck to your success!

SKQuinn

 

[infoe]

Caliban, thanks as stated above for that quality answer. That is one thing I had not thought of before, like many other quality things I've learned here. I will add that to the repetoir of infomation and in the back of my head when I speak to them.

My question in particlar is, is this more of a meet and greet with the afe's so they can get a first impression of me or is there something else that I should probably be expecting?

 

[aKidWorkinIt]

A total blow to my dream....

My sales experience is not insurance sales experience, and according to my candidate coach because I am lacking this, my road must stop here until I fix that.

Well, wtf...

They say go work for an agent, get some experience and come back. In Houston, Texas no agent will hire you if you don't speak Spanish.

Well, damn...

Kind of wish I didn't turn down Edward Jones' job offer now, but oh well, I won't quit, just a HUGE setback.

Tiempo para aprender Español!

 

[infoe]

^^

Did you just find out that they are not going to give you, your contract? Are they asking you to continue for another year and see what happens? Or do you need to close soon.

It seems each state/market is different.


In certain markets the growth might not be the same to sustain the continuation of new agents.

In any case sorry to hear that man