Insurance is not an industry that needs an overhaul on how we do business or what we offer. However, few will deny that our industry suffers from an "image" problem. Case in point: No insurance or insurance-related company cracks the "Top 10 most desired employers" list referenced in a recent CNET.com article by Don Reisinger. In case you're curious, the 10,000 recent college graduates with 1 to 8 years of professional experience surveyed put Google in the top spot, followed by Apple, Walt Disney, the Department of State and Amazon.com. The list rounds out with the FBI, Microsoft, the CIA, NASA and Teach for America. Clearly, technology companies have a strong image among young workers.

On the other hand, insurance is the victim of a "perception-versus-reality" misconception. And the best way to reverse this is to drum up some recognition—to shine a figurative light on our industry's incredible offerings and tremendous potential for young professionals.

Before the Light