How to Write a Great Insurance Agent Resume

Your insurance agent resume should be well-presented, results-driven and will explore relevant experience in the insurance industry or a related field like sales.

 

Highlight any experience generating leads, nurturing client relationships, managing a client base, developing marketing strategies, and selling via inbound and outbound channels. If you’ve worked as an insurance agent before, then clarify where your expertise lies, such as with life insurance.

 

You’ll also want to showcase certain soft skills, such as communication, numeracy and customer service. Many of these skills are transferable and can be evidenced using sales experience from other fields like retail and hospitality.

The structure of your insurance agent resume will vary depending on your chosen resume format. You have three options:

• Chronological — This format emphasizes work experience.
• Functional — This format focuses on skills.
• Combination — This format balances skills and work experience.

The chronological format is favored by most recruiters and hiring managers. It’s also the format we use with the insurance agent resume sample below.

 

 

Add your contact details to the resume header at the top of the page. This information includes your

• Full name
• Professional email address
• Phone number
• Address
• Professional profile link, such as your LinkedIn profile

Present this information clearly so that the hiring manager can easily reach out to you should they wish to proceed with your application.

 

 

The resume summary (or resume objective) is a brief overview of your skillset as a candidate. A resume summary covers your key skills and experiences. A resume objective is similar but includes a statement of your career aspirations.

 

If you already have several years of experience as an insurance agent, then a resume summary will work best. Consider a resume objective if you’re at the starting point of your career or making a career change.

 

 

Use the skills section to tailor your resume to the needs of the role. Study the job description and select some of the skills listed as essential or desirable to include in your resume.

 

Hard skills for insurance agent roles include:

• Cold calling
• Cross-selling
• Upselling
• Underwriting
• Knowledge of insurance products

Relevant soft skills include:

• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Active listening
• Customer service

Aim to cover both soft and hard skills in your resume.

 

 

In the work history section, run through relevant work experience from your previous ten years of employment. This could include work as an insurance agent, general experience in a sales position or a former job in a call center.

 

For each position, list the tasks and skills that are most transferable to the role of an insurance agent in bullet points. Where possible, use specific examples and statistics to add context and credibility to your work history. 

 

 

List your highest level of educational qualification in the education section. This could be a high school diploma or a bachelor’s degree. You can also add relevant certifications to this section.

Do:

• Tailor your resume to the employer.

Insurance companies serve different markets. Make sure your resume is fit for purpose by showing your knowledge of the employer’s particular area of expertise, whether that’s auto insurance, homeowner’s insurance, life insurance or health insurance.

• Use performance metrics in the work history section.

An ability to consistently hit targets is what hiring managers are looking for. Showcase your skills by referencing specific sales goals and client retention rates when discussing your work experience.

• Use a resume template. 

A resume template will provide you with a striking layout that’s sure to catch the hiring manager’s attention. Our resume builder tool features hundreds of free-to-use templates.

 

Don’t:

• Be dishonest.

In such a results-driven profession, you may be tempted to exaggerate some of your past achievements or knowledge of insurance policies. This is never a good idea and it will cost you later in the process.

• Include your GPA.

Unless your college GPA is exceptionally high, there’s no reason to include it on your resume. Doing so can actually harm your chances of getting a callback.

• Forget to proofread.

Even the smallest spelling or grammatical mistake could lead the hiring manager to reject your application.