Search for Part-Time Employment LEADS TO Internship OPPORTUNITY
Ashley Crowder (Agribusiness Management; Attica, IN) was searching for part-time employment on Indeed, when she came across a general opening at Mindy Deno’s State Farm office. It was for a position requiring the applicant to either have or obtain their insurance license.
“I did not have my license and that position wasn’t feasible while in school but knew that this meant they might need some additional help in the office,” said Ashley. “I sent a letter to introduce myself and let them know I was looking for part-time employment, they immediately responded and set up an interview and we went from there.”
Ashley worked for the office throughout Spring and as the semester was rounding out, Mindy approached her about the idea of staying with the office as a sales intern for the summer. Ashley accepted the position as it would allow her to gain more knowledge of the insurance business.
In both roles, a majority of Ashley’s time was spent making outbound calls from leads that Mindy receives from statefarm.com or online ads, which allowed her to improve her customer service skills.
“Although, most of my outbound calls are to someone that filled out a form or requested information about insurance, people can be unpleasant when you first call,” said Ashley. “Learning ways to talk to them and spark their interest again for us to get a potential client has been valuable.”
She also enjoyed celebrating State Farm’s 100th anniversary by doing things for their clients and community. For example, on national “Do something good for your neighbor day” they delivered cookies to the wine registry next door. They also visited local farmer’s markets to support their clients.
While working at State Farm, Ashley recognized the potential growth opportunities in the insurance industry. She is in the process of inquiring about the different levels of licensing necessary due to the high regulations that come with the business.
Ashley’s advice to other students is, “don’t be afraid to reach out to businesses that you are interested in. In my case I saw they were hiring but knew I was not yet qualified for that position. However, that job posting is the reason I thought of reaching out to this company.”