Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company has seen firsthand recently what the bad economy means: that Americans need the help of professional financial planners, and Americans need jobs.

Both can explain why MassMutual recruited more than 470 financial services professionals in the first quarter of 2009, the best recruitment period in more than a decade for the company.

"Our career sales force grew by 24 percent over the last three years," said Scott Rich, vice president for MassMutual's U.S. Insurance Group. "This shows that regardless of economic circumstances, clients need our services more than ever."

As it recruits new representatives, MassMutual suggests that potential recruits consider five characteristics to determine whether a financial services career is right for them. These attributes are common among the company's most successful representatives, regardless of their background or college degree, Rich said.

1. A commitment to lifelong learning. MassMutual looks for candidates who want to improve through ongoing coaching, mentoring, and education. From the beginning, new representatives are offered educational and training opportunities every week, and in many instances every day.
2. A desire to help people. Financial representatives know their work has meaning when they help clients realize their most important life goals. This sense of purpose allows new representatives to overcome some of the more challenging aspects of starting their business.
3. Well-developed business and social networks. One of the early ingredients of success is having a network of contacts from previous careers or social involvement that can provide new opportunities. Meeting new prospects and getting referrals from existing contacts and associates are the main drivers of success in a financial services career.
4. An entrepreneurial spirit. Candidates who have a strong desire to own their own business and are willing to invest three to four years to build their practice are generally more likely to succeed. Successful financial services representatives consider the initial years in their practice like a graduate program or medical residency, Rich noted.
5. Disciplined self-management. Candidates must be self-motivated to reach personal and professional goals and prioritize their activities. Time-management skills and knowing when and how to invest in one's business are essential ingredients for success.

In recruiting candidates who possess these qualities, MassMutual tries to ensure that the financial representative role is a proper fit for the applicant, the company, and for the local office interviewing the candidate.

"Our interviewing process is quite rigorous," Rich said, but he added that working as a financial services representative is a good opportunity for those who want to be in business for themselves, but not by themselves.