New York Life Careers: What MBAs Should Know
Choosing the right job after earning your MBA is always intimidating. The degree opens a multitude of paths for professionals entering the marketplace. However, the sheer number of available options can be a double-edged sword, and it is important that b-schoolers do their due diligence to find the right company and career track for them.
For those looking to work at a company with a rich history, New York Life Insurance Company may be the right choice. Not only if New York Life one of the US’s oldest Fortune 100 companies, the company consistently makes Fortune’s list of the “World’s Most Admired Companies.” Below, we’ve laid out some of the opportunities available to MBA’s looking to work at New York Life Insurance, so that you can gauge whether it might be the right fit.
New York Life Career Opportunities
Two possible tracks for those seeking employment with New York Life: as agents, or as a member of the corporate team.
There are many options for aspiring New York Life Agents. There are entry level positions for new agents looking to grow their business and gain experience and knowledge of the field. More experienced agents are also encouraged to apply. Experienced professionals can also apply for a sales management/partner position. Those in this position will oversee the recruitment and development of sales teams.
Though opportunities for non-MBAs abound, MBAs are at a significant advantage here. Those who have completed their MBA within 24 months are eligible for the management fast-track, a program wherein select employees can advance to management within a year of being hired. These hired will take on roles as Associate Partners once they have met training requirements. It should be noted that New York Life prefers for fast-track applicants to be Life and Health licensed, have some previous sales experience, and have FINRA registrations of Series 6 or 7 and Series 63.
What Kind of Salary Should You Expect at New York Life Insurance?
The salary of New York Life Insurance agents can vary wildly, considering commission is significant portion of the career incentive. According to Glassdoor data, base-level agents can expect a total annual pay of $51,322. This includes salary (around $42,000), plus benefits, commission, and more. Of course, an advanced degree can greatly increase annual compensation, with some agents earning over $100,000 per year.
Those seeking to enter the corporate side of New York Life also have plenty of options. With over 9,000 corporate employees, there is a position for nearly every type of business-minded application. Whether you want to work in marketing and communications, technology, sales support, investments, leadership and management, or a host of other fields, New York Life offers plenty options and support.
PayScale data indicates that several MBA-level positions offer obvious lucrative benefits. The average marketing manager at New York Life, for instance, makes an average annual salary of $83,729. This is early double the amount administrative assistants and client services representatives make.
New York Life Internship Opportunities
New York Life offers several internship opportunities based on the company’s specific needs. However, the company has a couple of specific programs tailored for interns. For those with an interest in actuarial studies in their junior or senior year of undergrad, or pursuing their MBA, the Actuarial Summer Internship Program may be a desirable option. In this program, interns receive projects from each area of the company actuarial departments and work alongside full-time actuaries. They receive training in the relevant software, meeting with the other interns every two weeks to touch base. They also benefit from monthly presentations by the New York Life actuaries, and a variety of social events.
The company also offers a Summer Finance Internship Program, wherein juniors and seniors balance a real-world work environment with weekly seminars and mentoring support from full-time employees. According to the New York Life Website, finance interns may be, “placed across the organization in Corporate Finance, the Insurance and Agency Group, and the Investments Group, including Mutual Funds and Investment Boutiques.”
An Inclusive, Diverse Company Culture
New York Life boasts a client-first culture, wherein employees ensure that the people they are serving are their first priority. That doesn’t mean clients are the only priority. In fact, Forbes ranks New York Life 18th on it’s list of Best Employers for Diversity. The company states:
“We collaborate, to make sure we deliver the absolute best for our clients. We go above and beyond to give back. And we never seek financial gains at the expense of our values.”
Profile Magazine recently highlighted the company, called, “How An Inclusive Culture is Reshaping New York Life.” The article highlights New York Life’s active efforts toward inclusivity, as well as the loyalty of the company’s employees, and the ethical approach the company takes to serving clients and the community.
The Big Payback: The Highest Paying Jobs for MBAs
Even in 2019, the search for the right MBA program is as unique as each student, and the reasons for applying are as varied as the programs themselves. Advancement in an existing career is an obvious motivation, as is breaking into a new industry or shifting one’s career focus.
One thing that all MBAs can likely agree with, however, is that earning potential is a leading incentive. This brings up questions about the most lucrative fields. Choosing the right concentration can be the first step toward achieving a position that will truly pay off. The following is a look at the current highest paying jobs for MBAs, as well as the majors that can open the necessary doors.
The Highest Paying Jobs for MBAs
Topping the list of the highest paid professions for MBAs in 2018 is strategic management. This specialization leads the way in terms of early to mid career salary, with salary averages beginning at around $125,000. Professionals with this degree and concentration earned $148,000 at the mid-point of their careers. Among the career functions for MBAs with a strategy focus are management consultant, senior strategy manager, senior product manager. Google, Amazon, PwC, and Intel are among the companies hiring for strategic management based positions.
Second on the list of highest paying MBA careers is technology management, which for many grows out of a background in IT or software development. According to Monster.com, tech management careers can start at around $113,000 per year, and advancement leads to a jump to upwards of $165,000. Roles such as senior project manager, vice president of IT, and IT director all emerge from a tech background. Companies such as Accenture, Deloitte, Cisco Systems, and HP all offer leading starting salaries in the IT management field.
Entrepreneurship also falls into the top three earning fields for MBAs. Starting salaries, according to data gathered from PayScale, hover around $100,000 per year, and reach up to around $135,000. Such roles as senior project manager and management consultant are options in the entrepreneurial field, as are various leadership roles in the growing fintech industry. Top hiring companies for entrepreneurship MBAs, according to PayScale, are Amazon, IBM, General Electric, and the Boeing Company.
A career in finance is the fourth of the highest paying categories for MBAs, with a starting salary hovering in the $100,000 range. Those with their sights upon chief financial officer, portfolio management, or financial management positions can hope to land jobs in this arena with high earning power. New York Life Insurance, Fidelity Investments, and Vanguard are currently seeking MBAs for various finance positions.
Along with strategy, tech management, entrepreneurship, and finance, marketing ranks among the most lucrative fields for MBAs. While some marketing jobs do not require an MBA, one can see a wider, more profitable range of options with a specialized study in marketing. Upper level marketing positions can start at around $80,000 per year, and can grow well above $120,000. Current listings for MBAs with a marketing focus include Dell, Microsoft, and, of course, Amazon.
