I have an interview for an internship at Northwestern Mutual

[Anonymous]

In the area I currently live in there are absolutely no other potential opportunities for an internship, except for an unpaid internship at local humane society's which aren't relevant to the Business Administration and Management degree I'm currently pursuing. I also haven't even completed my associates degree program as of yet, but I will be at the end of may; I really want to start gaining experience early on in my life. I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on selling sales insurance from a consumer and potentially a professionals perspective? Or even the internship itself? During my bachelors program which I'm already accepted to I plan on traveling 3 hours back and fourth to a credit union internship.

[grinlikechelsea]

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@Anonymous wrote:

In the area I currently live in there are absolutely no other potential opportunities for an internship, except for an unpaid internship at local humane society's which aren't relevant to the Business Administration and Management degree I'm currently pursuing. I also haven't even completed my associates degree program as of yet, but I will be at the end of may; I really want to start gaining experience early on in my life. I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on selling sales insurance from a consumer and potentially a professionals perspective? Or even the internship itself? During my bachelors program which I'm already accepted to I plan on traveling 3 hours back and fourth to a credit union internship.

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Internships are one of the best things for a college student to have on his/her resume, regardless if it is paid or unpaid. I can only speak for science majors, but I was an unpaid research assistant for two years as an undergrad in my university's chemical/biological physics department and I have a paper that I co-authored. Simply having the paper and experience makes any application I make to a PhD program or employment within R&D much more competitive. 

Essentially, if you are thinking about attending graduate school or are entering a cutthroat industry, take the internship. It really makes your resume/CV stand out. Even with 3 hours commute, if it is the only opportunity relevant to your degree, I would take it. 

[youdontkillmoney]

Selling life insurance is an admirable profession because you help families with the insurance proceeds in the unfortunate even of a loved one's passing. You are part of that process that makes that survivors plans and life easier afterwards. If you are really successful, you can make upwards of $50,000+, a decent living, plus you get residuals afterwards.

However, it is a sales job and their and "feasts and famines" and the majority of new hires fail within the first 6 months to a year because you are in business for yourself (take New York Life, you buy your own paperclips and office supplies, etc.). Every birthday party, social gathering, and person you have met or will meet will because a sales pitch, family members will be sales pitch, and eventually people may get tured of you and you lose friends and family members. Then you start cold calling people, for every 100 you might find 5 willing to listen, and of those five 2 willing to meet you and of those 2, maybe, just maybe 1 is willing to buy from you. Unless you have a vast network of friends, connection, social organizations where you have access to a list of people, it is a challenge. For example, I'm sitting at a Starbucks and this girl next to me starts to talk to me, I thought she was being friendly, but found out she was selling insurance products. That's your potential future work world.

[Kirmie2010]

I cant answer most of your questions but NWM is here in the building (portland) I work at, all of their interns seem extremely happy to be working there.  Nothing but good things to say about the company and their internships.  Most of them use it as a jumping off to something else.  (most of them it seems accounting)  

If you have the chance id say go for it.  It appears to be a highly sought after position.  Not to discourage you or anything but when they do interviews for that they get quite a few people usually.  

Good luck,

[Anonymous]

In my area I was the only one in the past two months who has applied for the internship in my city and surrounding cities. I got the internship and will take the classes for licensing over spring break.

[Kirmie2010]

Wow, where from? And congrats

[Anonymous]

Upstate New York.