Name: Charles
Brookins
Current Job Position Title: Licensed Life and Health Insurance Agent
Company Name: Insphere Insurance Solutions/Health Markets
Contact Information:
770-334-0437; 770-334-0437
Special skills: Asset Protection, Retirement Planning, Go Between and 1st
line of Contact for Clients with various Insurance Carriers, Problem Solving,
Strong Negotiation Skills, Great Listener
Describe your job
story:
My job story starts
after 2007 I had just graduated finally from The Clark Atlanta University with
a Bachelor’s of Art in Criminal Justice. Now I’m thinking of finding my niche
in my career field, but didn’t really know where to start. My first job in my
career field was as a Document Clerk for the Fulton County Solicitor General’s
Office. I worked just enough hours not to be considered full time, and was paid
two dollars more than the State minimum wage. My pay was not meeting up with my
monthly responsibilities, so I started moonlighting as a security guard at
night. Now I’m working two jobs and things still aren’t evening out so to
speak. I finally gave my formal resignation, and tried my luck at sales. My
first sales job was with L.A. Fitness in 2008, and by far one of the best
experiences of my life. I was able to work out, and get paid for signing people
up for gym memberships.
I left L.A. Fitness
in 2009 and started doing various temporary Customer Service Jobs with Call Centers.
This went on for the next three years with various companies; too many to even
begin naming. The last call center/sales position I held was with a company
called All Connect, and they were the first company to give me a broad array of
products to offer to prospective buyers. They were also the first company to
actually teach me the intricacies and the art of suggestive selling. All
Connect taught their employees to approach each opportunity in a more
consultative manner. I don’t think I could put a price on the knowledge I
gained from my Supervisor or my teammates. I was making so much money with All
Connect I didn’t know what to do with it after I paid my bills. The only
drawback with their organization, in my opinion, would be the unwillingness to
adjust shift schedules. So after I left All Connect I started researching
Careers where I would have more control over my schedule, and still could make
a substantial amount of money. I had it narrowed down to two choices which were
real estate agent and insurance agent. After speaking with individuals in both
fields I chose the latter and never looked back.
What did you want to
be when you were a child/ teenager?
When I was a child I
wanted to be a lawyer, and as a teenager I wanted to be a comedian.
Are doing your dream
job?
I love my career
because I am actually offering services that people actually need. I really
feel like I have given them solutions to those tricky questions that come with
just living life.
What do you like MOST
about what you do? What do you like the LEAST?
What I like most
about my career is that I meet new people every day. I get to interact with
different personalities, and also get a chance to look at situations with a
different perspective. Insurance is constantly changing so you have to be
knowledgeable of these changes, and able to adapt to unique situations that
will present themselves. What I don’t like about my job is the driving.
Where do you see
yourself in the next 5 years?
Five years from now I
expect to have written over 2 million dollars in life and health insurance
policies. I would like to have a couple of kids, and do a lot of traveling. If
all goes well I may be inclined to open my own insurance agency.
Are you happy with
where you are in life?
Yes, I am. I would
not trade my current situation for anything in the world. I have a beautiful
wife, a budding career, and all the support you need to be successful.
What more do you want
to do with your life?
I actually would like
to give back more in a philanthropic way. I want to get to a point in life
where I can actually say I helped better another person’s situation. My
grandmothers were both loving and giving people, and they were able to instill
that in their children. It’s like that Coke Commercial where one good deed
inspires many.
What drives/motivates
you?
The fear of
complacency is what motivates me. A good sales man told me that you need to
stay uncomfortable to be successful. You can’t have a great week and rest the
next. Consistency is the key to establishing your brand and building your
business.
What else do you do?
I like to shoot pool
every now and then. One of my favorite past times is feeding the ducks at
Piedmont Park with my wife.
What is your advice
to those who are seeking employment and have no hope?
There is no such thing as not having hope.
You have to believe that God put you on this earth for a reason. If you’ve
tried a couple of things and they didn’t pan out the way you like it take what
good experiences and knowledge that you can, and apply them to your next endeavor.
The key is to never give up in seeking what you are good at. Once you find your
niche in life it’s not a job anymore it starts to become a passion for
you.That’s when you know you’ve found what you love to do. It doesn’t feel like
work, and you find out that you are actually quite good at it whatever it may
be.
