Season’s greetings!
I am Chartered Insurer with 8+ years general insurance experience. I have worked for a global insurance broker as well as an international insurer. My experience is mainly within Sales & Distribution but also covers the main functional areas. I am keen to use my industry experience to move into consultancy, focussing on the insurance sector. I have noted that a number of firms (particularly the Big 4) are actively recruiting in this area. I would welcome your thoughts as to my chances of landing a position and the level of role/consultancy I should be applying for. I would be particularly interested to hear from anyone who is currently a consultant in the insurance sector or a recruiter with suitable openings.
I have in hand an offer to study a full-time MBA at a good national B-School, which I haven’t accepted just yet... But will do if that’s what it will take to land the right role.
Await your thoughts, thank you.
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You would need to head for a practice that values your functional content above the 'consulting toolkit' that characterises the generalist shops, and which you will probably lack. The latter will value you at a very junior level, if they are interested at all, as they will only be able to deploy you when they have a full order book of work matching your experience. You might be better off gaining some consulting credentials in a strongly insurance-oriented firm first - e.g. Xchanging. IBM have also recruited your kind of profile in the past and are allegedly resource constrained at present.
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Many thanks for your advice. Would an MBA make much difference given my perceived lack of consultancy experience? Am I better off gaining practical experience rather than studying if I want to switch careers?
Unfortunately a very junior level role would not appeal as the pay differential (even at a more senior level) would be too great.
I will investigate opportunities at Capita, Xchanging, Towers Watson etc as they might value my experience and contacts more. Thank you.
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can't advise on the MBA - I'm not a big fan myself as I think all but the most prestigious MBAs have lost their currency but that may be a personal prejudice - it would doubtless help to some extent, but whether that would be worth the money is another question...
try also Apex Business Consulting - was Landmark that went into then out of Xchanging; tends to be people like yourself who have come from industry..
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Billum, appreciate your guidance. Apologies for my ignorance but the only Apex I know of is the insurance training consultancy - I assume you are not refering to this business. Do you have a website you can direct me to? I have looked but there are numerous 'Apex' consultancies. Thank you.
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sure, it's this one...
http://www.apexbc.co.uk/
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