Sand Finance

I didn't know what I wanted to do when I left school. I had GCSE passes in English Language, History, Geography and French. The careers advisor showed me some jobs that were being advertised. I thought that all of them looked quite boring. There was a position for an office junior and I thought no thanks. I imagined that would be making tea and coffee for everyone. Then she suggested a job in a bank as an exchange clerk and I thought they would require Maths. She suggested I retook Maths to get a better grade.

There were so few jobs around that I fancied applying for that I stayed at school to do an A Level in History and retake my GCSE in Maths. That didn't give me a full time table. So I enjoyed going out to the pub and drinking with my friends. I got a grade D in my A Level in History and a grade C in my GCSE Maths. I left school at age 17 years old.

I went back to see the careers advisor. She asked me which career I wanted to do and I explained to her that I had no idea. She suggested that there were plenty of jobs in insurance. She mentioned that I could do into life insurance, travel insurance, commercial insurance, car insurance or home insurance. I wanted to compare each one so we discussed it at length. I felt that life insurance sounded like the most interesting option.

I saw a job advertised in life insurance and a job working for a consortium of companies involved in home insurance. To give myself maximum chance I decided to apply for both the jobs. I got invited to interviews for both of them. I went to the life insurance interview and the three people interviewing me were really friendly. I didn't like the consortium of companies involved in home insurance nearly as much. They had offices all over Kent, Surrey and East Sussex. Luckily I got offered the life insurance job and I happily accepted it.

I went to work in a smart office. I worked as a part of a small team. I gave quotes for life insurance and arranged life insurance cover for my customers. I found it an exciting place to work with the brand new computers. I liked my colleagues and made friends with four of them. My salary began at twelve thousand pounds a year and look at me now. These days as a life insurance manager I get thirty five thousand pounds a year.