The insurance industry is constantly evolving which can make a jump up the career ladder seem daunting, but Magdalena Cammidge advises women to take that leap, regardless.
“Something a lot of women struggle with is not feeling ready for the next step,” said Cammidge who is a partner at Edmonton-based Lloyd Sadd Insurance Brokers. “There are so many moving pieces in this industry. The learning curve is endless. Even though you may feel overwhelmed, just take that risk before you feel ready, because sometimes it’s the only way to learn. It’s up to women to push themselves to get the job they want,” she added.
Cammidge took this advice herself when she made the pivotal decision to take the reigns and develop her own practice at Lloyd Sadd so she could develop her own client list and have more control over her career. Having joined the firm in 2005 as an account manager, she pushed herself to climb the ladder to her current role. Cammidge has a niche expertise as a professional liability expert, focusing on clients in the architecture and engineering fields.
As a single mother Cammidge works very hard to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She has found there is sometimes a lack of understanding about the challenges faced by single mothers with a professional career.
“What I’ve noticed is that most males in my position have stay-at-home wives so they don’t understand why a seven AM meeting is not going to work for me. I do everything they do and the job their wives do too,” she said.
Although the industry is slowly starting to embrace a more flexible working environment, and Lloyd Sadd is very progressive in that area, Cammidge feels that working remotely is not practical for everyone.
“Some people can work from home and really be productive but others can not. As a business owner you have to recognise that not everyone is cut out for that type of flexibility. The whole industry needs to move forward in that area, but it has to make sense from a business perspective as well,” she added.
Cammidge has been mentored throughout her career and regularly mentors other people in the industry; both male and female. She was recently invited by the Women’s Association in Edmonton to be part of a mentorship program.
