"What doyou do?"

I've come to dread that question, which is increasingly common.We're a society of individuals that relate on a personal level withour workplace identities, so the query is all but impossible toavoid.

My dread does not come from a dislike of my work--quite thecontrary, I'm very passionate about my career as a communicationsprofessional in the insurance industry. What causes my aversion tothe occupation question is the difficulty I have in simplyexplaining my work. First, I have to describe my profession itself,public relations, which is intangible--how do you explain thepurpose that media pitches and bylines serve to your 80-year-oldgrandmother?

Then comes the harder part--owning up to working in theinsurance industry. Yes, the confession, admitting to your familyand friends that you work in "that" industry. I typically get oneof two responses: "Ugh, that sounds so BORING," or "How do yousleep at night?"

Somewhere along the line, insurance got a bad rap. We're likenedeither to drab number crunchers, trapped in dark cubicles from nineto five, or the negative caricature of the slick used car salesman,unscrupulous and looking to make a quick buck.

I don't get it. Not only has this not been my experiencepersonally, but also, I can't think of a single one of mycontemporaries in the industry who fits either of these personas.And I'm not just talking about us happy-go-lucky marketingpros--actuaries, financial analysts, claims reps, IT folks--none ofmatch the stereotypes thrust upon them.

The tarnished reputation of the industry seems to have seepedinto the psyche of the nation. We're wary of the motives ofinsurance carriers, skeptical of the agent down the street, worriedabout the impact of the next round of government regulation. Ouranger with an uncovered health insurance claim might carry over toour opinion of our auto or home insurer.

Like so many others, I didn't pick this industry--I fell intoit. An opportunity presented itself at the right time and I tookit. No one I've ever met working in insurance claims to havedreamed of working in the industry as a small child. The storiesare all similar: it was a family business, it was happenstance, Iknew a friend working at XYZ carrier, etc.

And when it comes to marketing professionals in particular,you'd be hard pressed to find a creative type daydreaming about aworld of deductibles and reinsurance. Undergrad marketing majorstend to hope to make careers in the "flashier" industries:entertainment, fashion, sports, etc. The Red Sox and Vogue magazineare desirable; Liberty Mutual and Aetna are a bit off theradar.

But regardless of the lack of glamour and the undeserved badreputation, I've fallen in love with this industry. I find the workinteresting; each and every day presents a new challenge. And Ifeel satisfied knowing that insurance helps people protect theassets they've worked so hard for. I know that I'm not the onlyindustry professional who feels this way--most all of you arefamiliar with the satisfaction of a job well done on behalf of aclient.

So what's the problem? Why the bad rep? It comes down tomarketing, and I'm not just saying that because of my careerinterests. We do a terrible job of promoting ourselves. Insuranceis barely a blip on the radar of Generation Y when considering jobopportunities. Even in my own case, had it not been for sheer luck,I may not have found this industry that I now call home.

We need to do more, we need to be more proactive. And what we dodoes not always need to consist of grand gestures or large-scalemovements--it's the small stuff that matters. For example, anytimeI come across an aspiring marketing pro, I suggest insurance orfinancial services as a lucrative and interesting field. I alsotalk up the industry whenever I can, sharing interesting claimsstories I've heard, highlighting a fun event I attended or evenanswering simple questions (i.e. Do I really need renter'sinsurance?).

So let's get to work--start sharing the passion you have forinsurance with others and it will be clear that the stereotypesassociated with the industry are unwarranted. Let's start makinginsurance careers a viable choice, not just luck of the draw, foryoung professionals.