The Ontario Broker - Volume 22, Issue 2 - 51

WHAT'S NEW
Training Like
the Pros
Simon Liang, Education Program Specialist, IBAO
During my first year with IBAO in the education
department, I witnessed hundreds of students go through
our classes, take their licensing exam, and begin their
career as an insurance broker. In my current role, I often
get questions like: What's it like being an insurance broker?
I am totally new to insurance, will I be okay? How long does it take to finish
the online self-study course? And the most common one: Is the exam hard?
Although I picked up bits and pieces of information as I was working, I felt I
was missing the whole picture and wanted to change that.
THE ROOKIE
I figured, why not experience what our students go through by walking a mile
in their shoes and take our new online e-learning course-Broker Launchpad
On Demand write the exam in April and have a better frame of reference
when answering questions.
SPRING TRAINING
In the beginning of April, I enrolled myself, got a copy of our Becoming an
Insurance Broker textbook, and set a goal of writing the RIBO Level I exam
by the end of the month. I know that only about 60% of people pass on
the first attempt, so there was a chance that if I wasn't prepared enough, I
could fail.
THE GAME PLAN
After covering the first few chapters of the book, the content seemed
manageable and I assumed that I would be able to finish the course
by my end of month goal. However, as I got deeper into the content, I
realized how much time I would need to dedicate to finish the course
without rushing. Going through the three main topics-property, liability
and automobile-it was easy to feel overwhelmed by the quantity of
information and the amount of " if, then, but " rules. Luckily in advance
of starting the course, I prepped a study plan (something that I highly
recommend!), so I had time to re-evaluate and re-allocate my efforts where
necessary. Committing two hours per day, I completed the course three
days before my exam, I then spent time on practice questions.
THE FINAL SCORE
So you may be wondering how I did. Lets just say, had I failed, I probably
wouldn't be writing this article. Having not written an exam since
graduating University, it felt a little nerve-racking to jump into one that
takes three hours. But that aside, I felt very prepared after working through
the course and having done numerous practice tests.
D
Having done it, there are three pieces of
advice I would give to all students:
Create a plan, commit and stick to it
* Ask yourself, when am I going to study? How can
I guard my time? How am I going to measure my
understanding?
Be pragmatic with the time you have and be mindful
of what you're struggling with so you can allocate
more time for those specific areas
* Set aside a few more days to go through topics
like Home and Auto versus Travel and Commercial
which play a smaller role in the exam
Take a deep breath, take it one step at a time
* There is certainly a lot of information, and it may
feel overwhelming to go through it all, but if you
plan properly and do a bit of studying each day,
you will not only feel more relaxed heading into the
exam, you will actually perform better.
SEASON WRAP-UP
Looking back on this challenge, I'd say the two most important
things I benefited from was, gaining deeper insight on the type of
support and resources our students can benefit from and getting a
small taste of what it would be like to work as an insurance broker.
This experience will inform future our efforts. To better supporting
our students and helping me answer the questions with more
information.
I couldn't have attempted this had it not been for the flexibility of
the Broker Launchpad On Demand Course. Some days I had more
time than others, having the ability to dictate how long I wanted
to study everyday leading up to the exam allowed me to balance
my responsibilities and make good progress. Understanding not
everyone can take time off to join one of our live classes, the
On Demand Course provides guidance by highlighting areas to
pay close attention to and aims to clarify insurance principles
through example videos, quizzes, and interactive tooltips. But, the
resources are only half of the equation-I cannot stress enough
how important it is for students to create a plan that enables them
to be successful at their own pace.
Lastly, if you're wondering if I am going to attempt the RIBO Level
II course and try my luck with the exam, ask me again in two years!
" It can be easy to feel
overwhelmed by the quantity
of information if you don't
have a plan before beginning
the course. "
VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 2
51
The Ontario Broker - Volume 22, Issue 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Ontario Broker - Volume 22, Issue 2
