Younger brokers should look to stay open-minded and be confident enough to share ideas with co-workers, a veteran has said.
Nigel Thomas, division chief executive –
Austbrokers Networks,
AUB Group, said that younger brokers should not be shy about sharing their ideas with superiors.
“Just because you have manager next to your name doesn’t mean you have more value to add, everybody has something to add,” Thomas told
Insurance Business. “The industry needs strong voices and they come in all shapes and sizes and from all parts of the industry.”
Thomas said that younger brokers should look to keep an open mind as they make their way through the industry.
“It is easy to say ‘no’ and get stuck in a rut,” Thomas continued. “It is hard to be open-minded and be prepared to challenge what you do day-to-day.”
Thomas, who has been in the industry for over 30 years, spent time in broking, underwriting and premium funding before he took a role with AUB Group - but his debut in the industry came by chance.
“I put my name into the ring for two or three different roles, and got called up for interviews. It was interesting because at 17 I got told I was too old for one of the jobs,” Thomas said. “I was fresh out of school and it was a bit soul destroying because I thought, if I’m too old for a job then I am in trouble!”
Since then, Thomas has enjoyed a varied career and said that the industry should do more to remove the stigma that surrounds it.
“Everybody wants a career that provides diversity,” Thomas said. “This industry has it in spades - we have got to continue to find better ways of promoting that.”
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