An Open Letter to College/University Career Services Offices - Next Generations Talent Pool

Three.

That's the number of unpaid internships I did while in college. Stupid? Probably. The best thing I ever did? Most certainly.

On that note however, I will never be that guy that thinks everyone should "Have to go through what I went through" on their way to their chosen career path.

Ever.

As a matter of fact, I hate that guy. However, after spending the better part of 6-months attempting to start an internship program at a Fortune 500 Company, I've learned a disturbing atmosphere building at our colleges and universities...

They're helicopter parents.

In UT there is a good number of quality higher-ed institutions throughout the state and I saw it as a way to give back (my previous life I was in college admissions) by building an internship program that would allow student's a chance to explore the world of Insurance and Financial Services.

Our field gets such a bad rap/rep (whichever is right) and also has the daunting task of recruiting people to a field that virtually no one majors in, nor says they want to be in when they grow up.

While it's corny, I like to open presentations by saying "If you would've told me 10 years ago I'd be in insurance, I would've absolutely cried."

Hysterically. I mean VanderBeek tears.

However, I have found true happiness in the field and feel challenged every day by my job and the people I work with, for and around.

In setting off to make contacts for my new program, my attempts to get past the "Gatekeepers" in the college/university career centers really, really opened my eyes to what could be an epidemic.

First off, I get it. The immediate hurdle I like to clear is by telling people "I'm not here to sell you insurance." We've all had that friend ask us to grab coffee and catch up, that we haven't talked to since 9th grade. (It's smart marketing really.) So, not only do few major in Insurance... few want anything to do with the word. Not a good start when you're building a talent pool.

However, Insurance-a-phobia aside, I set up calls with, and visited 7 different Universities across the state of UT. My pitch was simple... let me have access to your students so I can introduce them to our field and maybe interest someone who had never thought of insurance, into insurance. Crazy to believe... but it's a fascinating field once you really dive into it.

I was shocked to see the "Helicopter Parenting" that these career services folks deployed. Instead of wanting to learn about the field and my plan to educate their students on a career they had never thought of, I was meant with immediate skepticism and often made felt unwelcome. Instead of talking about the benefits of having a Fortune 500 company listed on their resume and the support I would offer, these offices wanted to tell me how amazing and successful each and everyone of their students was.

I get it. You're proud. And you should be.

"You just won't peak our student's interest without paying $20/hour."

Really? You talked with every single one of them? All 25,000 students want that?

"Our students are placed in careers virtually right away in New York, San Francisco, Chicago...LA..."

Again, you're sure about this? You speak for them all?

I worked in higher education for 3 years and absolutely, positively loved it. It's truly some of the favorite years of my life. However, finding insurance was simply the best thing that ever happened to me.

My biggest regret? Not finding the field sooner.

Colleges. Universities. Community Colleges... let's all get over ourselves. I know your students are the best and the brightest... but you need not be such a gatekeeper. Let companies in... it's OK if a kid fails. I promise. Not every internship is perfect. Not every kid will get offered $125,000 out of college to work in Silicon Valley.

Let the kids decide what is best for them.

Don't cripple their career choices.