Yeah, my story is similiar to everyone else. I was told half-truths along with flat-out lies when I was recruited and trained. My favorite lie was, "You are guaranteed 4 or 5 hundred dollars a week" (depending on what state one is from). The justification here is, "Yeah, you are guaranteed this amount..." provided you adhere to a list of qualifications that they conveniently neglect to make you aware of. Oh, I'm pretty sure the stipulations are in fine print within the four page contract that everyone is rushed into signing, but as I say, Recruiters and Trainers loved to proclaim, at least once a day during training, "You're guaranteed $500 a week!!!" That's funny!
As some of you pointed out, your selling of policies would be conditional to some extent. So was mine. I insisted that my cold-calling attributes may be disappointing if this was expected. I was told, "No problem-There are plenty of cards to work off of and premium to collect!" By the third week, superiors told me that if I was going to be successful I must start knocking on doors and asking strangers to buy insurance—DUH! In other words, "cold-calling".
Also, by the third week, I was by myself and it was easy to see that one should be an accompolished and experienced saleperson or a pretty good liar (or both), to actually make a living with this company. I chose to be a liar— (obviously, since I couldn't be experienced in sales). I figured, surely the company wouldn't mind if I left out pertinent information and stretched the truth occasionally when writing policies. After all, I learned from the best Insurance Training Department in the country. Whatever the potential policyholder wanted to hear, I was whole-heartedly and excitedly, affirmitive. Especially, since I didn't know the answers to many questions in the first few weeks anyway.
To summarize, if you're looking for a job, you best keep looking. Unless, of course, you're experienced in sales—or a good liar.By the way, I wasn't a very good liar. I liked being able to sleep at night. Anyway, as I look back at my involvement with Combined Insurance, I shake my head in disbelief and disgust at some of the events of which I was involved.
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