Michael Goldman, CDP, CLU, CLF’s Post

If you have suddenly gotten the proverbial “Pink-Slip”, and now your stomach has dropped to the floor, you begin to sweat, and fear the worst…no you’re not going to die, you will live, and you may flourish. Sometimes being let go can be a blessing, but at the time it feels more like a cruel joke. If the layoff is due to an acquisition, or redundancy, a financial correction, or even due to your own performance, just accept it. You can cry and whine about it to your spouse, but don’t stay in that mode for more than necessary. The question is what do you do next after you’re done being angry? First things first, who do you know? Who can introduce you to a hiring manager that wants to interview you? Make a list of strategic contacts, those would be people you sort of know, barely know, or don’t know at all. It could be your best friend, your dad’s buddy, or your brother’s creepy friend that has connections. Don’t take any of those contacts off the table, because chances are someone in your network is looking for you. Right now, the insurance industry is rich in job openings and poor in talent. I know there have been carrier layoffs this year, but that can be an opportunity. After you make a list of strategic contacts, you should prioritize them in importance, not by how well you know them. You don’t need to tell these folks a sob story, just let them know you’re open to looking at new opportunities and wanted to check with them. They may not have anything for you, but you can ask who in their network might be a good person to chat with? Most people are happy to connect you with people that can hire you, it makes them feel good, and be a hero to the company needing someone like you. People get laid off all the time, so you are not in a unique position, but the attitude you bring to the job search could make all the difference. If you are bitter and want to complain, people become busy very quickly, and they don’t have time for you. If you have a good attitude, and don’t waste their time, you just want to network with them, doors will start to open. The idea is to run through your top 15 to 20 contacts, and target 2-3 conversations a week, if you can do more, even better. If at the end of those conversations you’ve not made much progress, create a new, better list, maybe a list of people you are afraid to reach out to. Believe me, it’s OK to call strangers, introduce yourself, and explain your situation, as I said, most people are willing to listen, but be brief and to the point. If you are asking for a moment of their time, be prepared and know what to say before calling. If you need to write yourself a script to feel more confident, then do it. If all of this sounds a bit overwhelming, I’m happy to give more clarity. New job curious? Give me a call. Glenn – The Insurance Recruiter 720-442-8230

Layoffs are happening everywhere right now, and it’s tough to see. It’s a reminder of just how crucial it is to have a 'career insurance policy'. Just as you wouldn’t own a home without insuring it against risks like fires, floods, or other disasters, you shouldn’t have a career without a plan to protect it against unexpected job loss, layoffs, or changes. But here’s the thing: you can’t just buy career insurance from a store. Instead, your 'personal brand' and the 'relationships' you build serve as your protection. What are you known for in your industry? What impact have you made? Who have you connected with? These are the assets that will sustain you when challenges arise or when you're ready to pivot in your career. The key is to invest in building these foundations before you actually need them. When you focus on growing your professional reputation and network now, you’re creating a safety net for the future. So, ask yourself: how strong is your current career insurance policy? And what’s one step you can take today to enhance your career security? #CareerInsurance #PersonalBranding #Networking #CareerGrowth #LayoffSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment

Picture this: you're at the base of a colossal mountain, much like those audacious goals we set in life. Every step you take, no matter how small, is progress towards your ultimate peak. Goals are the rocket fuel that powers us beyond the comfort zone and onto the path of greatness. Setting goals isn’t just about dreaming; it's about crafting a detailed roadmap full of milestones. Take my leap from healthcare analyst to licensed life insurance and annuities agent. It was intimidating but driven by a clear objective: financial freedom and helping others achieve theirs. The right goals challenge us, stretch us, and sometimes lead us down unexpected paths. Let's chat about hustle. Achieving targets requires unshakeable dedication. Whether waking up at ungodly hours like David Goggins to work out or using Warren Buffett-like precision in financial moves, commitment is that invisible force forging success. It’s the ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ attitude that transforms aspirations into achievements. The thrill lies in progress itself. Each win, each moment of clarity, adds layers of resilience and self-belief. Navigating setbacks, like my own experiences with layoffs, only strengthens our resolve to soar. Ultimately, goal-setting is about the journey as much as the destination. It’s about savoring every moment—the friendships, the effort, the lessons, and the self-discovery. So here's to lighting your own fire. Dream big, plan like a boss, and dive into this adventure. That’s where magic happens, and life becomes immensely worthwhile. 🔥✨

I lost two clients within a week for the consulting firm where I worked. And I thought I was getting fired for sure. But Hardik didn’t fire me, and for that I’m grateful. Because it made me a better professional. See, getting fired would’ve been easy for me too. I could’ve walked away saying, “I’m not cut out for consulting,” or “I didn’t get proper training.” I could’ve made a bunch of excuses. And that would be it. But being forced to show up each day despite my struggles made me tougher. I chose one aspect to become better at: asking questions. I would ask questions to clients, get answers, ask follow-up questions, figure things out, and test processes. Two months went by. Nothing happened. I was about to lose all hope when a client took me aside. “Vishal,” he said, “for the first time in three years, we have posted a quarterly profit. And the processes you set played a huge part in this. Thank you.” More than happiness or pride, I felt relief. And hope. (“OK, I did it once, I can do it again. I got this!”) The only direction from there was upwards. An important lesson that has stuck with me since is: Trust. The. Process. Show up, work, improve. Speed up this loop until you reach escape velocity. A critical aspect of improvement is reflecting—paying attention to what what works and what doesn’t. Because if you don’t slow down, you will speed right past a rewarding strategy, an untapped opportunity, or a discovery that leads you to your purpose. That would be a shame, no? Whatever you are going through today, trust the process. Don’t get discouraged by a lack of progress. Things are happening beneath the surface. Like milk boiling, it will be slow at first, and then sudden. It’s the end of the world only when you stop working.

I quit my $250,000/ year job. (5 years ago to double down on me) I was unhappy. I was stressed. I was overwhelmed. An endless battle to ‘be better’. I chased the next bonus. I chased the next validation. I chased the next career path. But I realized no bonus would bring me true, unconditional happiness. No President's Club award would validate my feelings. No multimillion dollar sale I closed would shake things off. So what would? Freedom to do what I want, how I want, when I want. The same freedom I now help other high-performing leaders acquire. By keeping their job. By starting a new adventure. By transitioning to another job. Without having to spend 5 years to pull the trigger. Just like my client John who wanted to start his insurance business for 7 years but gave into toxicity, $250k/year safety and false beliefs. That only led to stagnation. So we mapped out the exact plan together. We defined what safety meant to him. We outlined his next actions. And all of a sudden, as The Beatles say “Money can’t buy me love…” But a life and business transition that gives you purpose can. He was handed the melody he needed to buy himself - self love. One that brought him closer to family, his vision and his dream. And my goal is to do that for another 3 senior leaders in May 2024. So if you are a senior leader who’s looking to: - Transition into a career you don’t want to run away from - Gain the recognition and make the impact you deserve - Live a life on your own terms, not your bosses terms Without dwelling on the action button for 5 years. Comment “PRESS PLAY” below and I’ll reach out to see if we’re a good fit to work together.

LAYOFFS AND THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME! Your wildest dreams will come true, if only... Have you ever considered owning a franchise? Selling insurance is your chance for financial freedom! 100% commission is betting on yourself! With your experience, you can be a Career Coach, too! As a veteran of seven layoffs, I've been approached by countless charlatans, scammers and carnival workers preying on fears and stoking dreams of easy money and a lavish lifestyle. There is a theme to these schemes, pay up front for a "market proven methodology" and then sell, sell, sell to unsuspecting victims that have neither a need or the cash to purchase the crap you're pushing. It's a living. This Plexus Pink drink can cure diabetes, help you lose weight, eliminate brain fog and make you look like Glen Powell for $109 a month. No, it's not FDA approved and there is no clinical data to support these claims. But, it's PINK! People are generally motivated by fear and greed. So, it's only natural that a subset of the population fall prey to grotesquely manipulated marketing claims, either as a customer or a pusher of said product or service. When you're laid off for an extended period of time, you are vulnerable to the financial realities of your situation and may be tempted to consider what was once unthinkable. Tread carefully. It's one thing to secure a bridge job at Starbucks or as a substitute teacher. This is perfectly acceptable, if not ideal. Signing up for a MLM pyramid or working on commission alone is a dangerous game to play and runs the risk of putting you even further behind the financial eight ball. You're all professionals that have been well educated and battled tested over the years. Trust your gut. Lean on your experience. If it's too good to be true, it probably is. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AS MUCH AS I BELIEVE IN YOU! #LINKEDINKEITH

I'm mind blown by all the posts I'm seeing by people who got the boot from their insurance carrier employer (a few biggies recently) as the result of mass layoffs THANKING their company for all the wonderful years and all they've learned. 🤦♀️ If your spouse left you after 20 years, would you publicly thank him/her for all the good times? Every time I see a post like this, I go to the company's website to see if there are any job openings posted.... There are always HUNDREDS! Why not find a place for some of these folks internally?? 😡 Now look, if this happens to you, stay positive - that much I agree with. Publicly trashing a company on social media won't accomplish anything and doesn't look good. BUT - you certainly don't need to go so far as to THANK THEM. It's OKAY to be pissed that your loyalty was rewarded with a kick to the curb. Use that frustration to fuel the search for your next great chapter. 💪 But please, do not thank these people for what they gave you. Sure, you got a paycheck, and... stability (I guess?) for a period of time, but that company was also on the receiving end of your expertise and hard work all those years - it wasn't a charity! #stopthemadness #thingsthatmakemecrazy #honesty #integrity #peoplebusiness #insurance #recruiterlife #insurancecareer #cpcu #cic #hashtag #cisr

This is all part of what I talk about constantly about keeping an "even keel" when job searching. The emotional ups and downs of searching can push you in one extreme direction as Keith talks about below but you need to be careful and while it may sound tempting the longer you are out, many times it could be a fools bargain. He also mentions "bridge jobs" and that is always your better choice ultimately. Be careful out there everyone, keep at it, stay resolute and something will happen for all of us! #jobhunting #careers #jobsearch #hireme #networking #Careers #whateverittakes #justone

Great post Keith. I've almost gotten suckered by a few in the past (Camp Gladiator, Aflac, GetHealthy USA). Red flags: - They try to sell you the position: "Unlimited growth potential" - Pay to play: "It's just $700 to get the first kit and then you're a business owner" - High-pressure sales: You aren't selling a product, you're forcing a subscription. Your success is based on manipulative tactics, not on the quality of the product - Unpaid "training": Camp Gladiator required 10 unpaid shadow sessions, recruit 10 campers, and then guide 10 camps with a shadow. That's more than 30 hours of unpaid work JUST TO BE CONSIDERED! When in doubt, check them out: - Income disclosures: for any company, Google their income disclosures. If only 5-10% of employees are making a livable wage, it's an MLM. If you can't find the disclosures, that's also a red flag. - Anti-MLM subreddit (reddit.com/r/antimlm) has lists of MLMs, legal advice, and tips on how to recover if you've been a victim - John Oliver piece on MLMs (WARNING: language): https://lnkd.in/gD9u3txX #MLM #Multilayeredmarketing #predatorytactics #jobsearch #opentowork

Every journey into the pursuit of excellence is paved with moments of great euphoria & despair.. great losses & gains.. sacrifices, ostracizations, doubts from your closest friends and family... and the eventual self doubts. The confidence and clarity in your vision must be unwavered. You must be willing to give up what you want most right now, for what your want most in your future. This sacrifice very few are able to make. The most common excuse I hear is "I don't have the time .. I don't have the resources". Excuses and rationalizations to cope... Yet they make time to watch the playoffs, go to brunch & dinner on the weekends, scroll on IG, play games... Many of those same people often are either driving expensive cars .. living in nice apartments.. spending money on things they don't need. Consistently making poor decisions. A victim to their own temptations. You see where I'm heading? Either you make the sacrifices or someone else will fill the space and occupy YOUR DREAMS. I was always driven to do whatever it took. Started my first business at 7, and a second at 12. Started working full time at 14 years old. Two/three jobs. Lifeguarding 40 hours.. restaurants on the weekends. Side hustles too. Selling sneakers, shoveling driveways in the winter... every dollar went towards trading eventually Everyone sees the finished products ... nobody sees the forging of the iron. From 20-24, when I began trading... I was shot, stabbed and killed emotionally & financially every day. I made zero dollars in my first 3.5 years. In fact I lost $100,000 of my money. At times I wavered but ultimately I never gave up. I always saw the vision of where I was heading. I made mistakes surely, but each loss is accompanied by a lesson. It's on you to learn humility and accountability. I changed things about myself, my habits, my friends, my beliefs. I changed my life .. and my life changed... Funny how that works.