Get on the sales careers fast track at UnitedHealth Group

Sales is more than just answering questions on the phone, it’s an inside track to understanding how our members think about health care, how to sell services and get to know how the world of health care works. Our newer employees, Lauren, Allyson, Elha, Maria, Katie and Tim explain what it is really like to be a new employee and hit the ground running in sales here at UnitedHealth Group.

1. What does a typical day look like in Sales?

Allyson – For the most part you take calls and sell plans. Once a week, the group that is involved with the program meets and we participate in learning and developing ourselves from leadership activities to self-development goals and then we may have time to work on projects a couple hours out of the week.

Tim – Your primary responsibility is to excel in the sales role. This means effectively leading consumers to well-informed decisions about their health care. To effectively lead, you’ll need to quickly absorb large amounts of consumer and health care related information while simultaneously navigating a myriad of dynamic and evolving computer systems. By actively listening, questioning, and engaging in an efficient problem-solving dialogue, you’ll have hopefully strategized a way to utilize the useful information and disregard the noise. Once you’ve identified your consumer’s needs, you’ll need to unwind the complexity of your findings in a way that drives your consumer towards a health care product that fits their unique needs and preferences.

Outside of interacting with consumers, you’re expected to own your development and use your experience in sales to craft your unique career story. You’ll be given an introduction to the rest of the business through various networking activities and weekly development meetings. Use the sales framework to identify areas of interest and work with your leaders and peers to create an action plan. You’ll be given the tools you need to succeed but only you can decide how you’ll leverage the resources to find success and do your life’s best work.

2. What does it take to be successful in your job?

Allyson – To be successful in this job, I would say being able to communicate efficiently and also being empathetic to the consumer. You have to feel like yourself while guiding the consumer through the process, but also need to remain professional.

Katie – There are a few qualities that I believe are crucial for an agent to be successful in this role. The most important qualities to possess, in my opinion, are patience and compassion. As agents in Medicare and Retirement, we are primarily speaking with people who are on Medicare, which means they are typically over the age of 65 or disabled. These consumers are commonly referred to as our most vulnerable group. This means that when it comes to their insurance, a lot of them will not always understand exactly what their insurance entails, and a lot of them also feel really alone in trying to navigate the insurance process. It is also extremely important to be compassionate, and put yourselves in their shoes to understand how overwhelming and scary this process can be for them. This will help you connect with them better, help you gain their trust, and ultimately enroll the consumer in the best possible plan for their needs.

3. What’s the culture or community like within your team or department?

Allyson – My team acts like a family. Everyone is willing to help each other out when needed. Even with all of us coming from different backgrounds and generations we still are respectful towards each other and willing to help in any way we can.

Elha – Honesty, community, team work, cooperation and a lot of support.

4. Describe the work environment at UnitedHealth Group and how does it help you thrive in your career?

Lauren – My peers and leaders are helpful and attentive, as well as caring and passionate about what they do. This means that I feel comfortable asking questions and seeking advice, and I feel like my voice is heard. It is important to know that I matter in the company and I’m not just another employee. We are here to help each other, not just help ourselves.

Ehla – I love working for UnitedHealth Group, especially in the bilingual department since there is always support, not only from our supervisors and team leads, but also from our peers.

5. What are you passionate about outside of your career and how do you bring that passion to work?

Allyson – I’m passionate about my relationships with my family and friends. Being able to communicate and coordinate times to spend together is very important to me. When I come to work, I bring my passion of wanting to give consumers a great experience and build a trusting relationship with them in order to help them with their needs.

Lauren – I’m passionate about my relationships with my friends and family, as well as health and fitness. I believe my ability to build and maintain relationships helps me not only build trust with the consumer, but will help me expand my professional network as well.

Elha – I’m always passionate about the idea of helping others.

As our rookie employees state, inside sales roles are more than just answering questions on the phone. It’s helping people understand the #health care system and that knowledge is so important to help people make the right decisions for themselves. If it’s time for a career upgrade, or you are curious about exploring #health care sales further, check out our open roles, here. Helping others make impactful life decisions can be part of doing your life’s best work.^SM