Meghan McGarry, ACSR; account executive at Marshall & Sterling
Years at company: 4
College: SUNY Ulster, '98
Organizations: IIABNY, IIABA
How did you determine that insurance was a viable career choice? Several yeas ago I was working for a health insurance carrier and really not liking it. If you had asked me then, I would have said insurance is not a career. A friend was working on the P&C side with a small independent agency and got me an interview there. I knew within a week that this was different and I was enjoying my work. When I became involved in association activities through IIABNY, I began to see the full spectrum of possibilities. That was about 3 years after entering the P&C world. Since then, I've developed my skills, obtained two designations and immersed myself in the industry. And now I love it.
How does technology fit into your work strategy? I love the world we live in now. I can work from home on my laptop, access my emails on my phone, and work a schedule without being tied to a desk. I would not be able to work the schedule I do without utilizing today's technology.
What's your mantra for success? Never give up, no matter what. When times get tough, be tougher. If you get pushed, push back. And never be afraid to question things that don't make sense. Nothing comes easy, so you have to be willing to work for it.
Who do you look toward as a mentor in this industry? There are so many to choose from. I look to the veteran agents and leadership in my office. Somewhere in the when-I-was-your-age talk, there is wisdom. I look to my association leadership. These individuals can provide a new point of view as to the industry as a whole. A view from outside the office walls. Lastly, I look to my fellow young agents. We are all at different stages in our professional development and sometimes it's easier to talk to someone who's on a peer level.
What are your future goals in this industry? The sky is the limit. I would like to be an agency owner or at least higher on the managerial ladder. The agency I'm with now is fantastic but we are large so the structure is not set to be the owner. I would really enjoy being a leader in my state association and I would someday love to be a leader with the national association. There is no higher honor and the individuals I've been lucky enough to work with have inspired me. I'd like to do that for someone else someday.
How does your office reflect how you work? My office is a well-oiled machine. I'm lucky to work with an agency that is open to suggestions on better efficiency and we have every resource at our disposal. My desk can be dusty though since I don't spend a lot of time there.
Read on for more from Meghan McGarry
What is an important lesson you learned when joining a professional working environment? Keep politics and personal opinions to yourself. Part of keeping a team working well together is sometimes not sharing your personal views.
Gen Ys often change jobs—7 times in their 20s, according to research. How can employers retain young talent? Communication is key in the relationship between employers and employees. In most cases, Gen Ys get frustrated because they don't feel like they are being heard and the ideas they share are not taken seriously. If the agency up the road offers the same package and a promise to listen, they will leave. And if the promise is not kept, they will leave again until they find a place where either the package is greater or the listening is. Ambition is something that I think is taken for granted sometimes by the powers that be.
Many young agents enter this industry because other family members work in insurance. What advice do you have when working with family? These young agents should consider themselves very lucky. I have seen with some of my young agent friends how much more open the relationship is between employer and employee when the employer is also dad or mom. These young agents have a real opportunity to make positive changes. It's much easier to talk to your parents or your brothers or sisters about an idea and really hash it out. The only advice I would offer is to leave work at the office and leave home at home.
What do you see young agents struggle with in their first years in this industry? What advice do you have? I see so many young agents struggling with the frustrations of just getting started. The work that we do requires a lot of learning, a lot of listening and a lot of practice. There is no such thing as instant success. My advice would be to be patient and stick with it. This industry has so much to offer if you can just work through the harder times and not give up. Look to your superiors and the life they have built for themselves and their families. That is something that any one of us can attain with hard work and dedication.
What new technologies should young agents utilize to get a leg up in this industry? I see a lot of young agents doing very well with social media. The younger generations are looking for more convenient ways to do business and that is a very popular realm. That is also one of the only ways that we can compete with the Lizard and Mayhem. I don't think it's necessary to utilize every form of social media, but focusing on one or two will help keep communication open between you and your clients without taking up a lot of time.
Meghan McGarry was featured in the July 2011 issue of AA&B. She is an account executive at Marshall & Sterling.
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