How passing the SIE turned my layoff into a career opportunity
Dimitri Saliaris is a customer success and sales professional who believes the best opportunities often come from unexpected detours. After being laid off, he turned unemployment into full-time professional development, earning multiple insurance licenses and passing the SIE on his first attempt with the help of Achievable. When he’s not studying or helping customers succeed, you’ll find him behind a drum set, teaching percussion students, or directing an award-winning indoor percussion ensemble.
Earlier this year, I was laid off when the business I supported was sold to a competitor. Like most people, my first reaction was stress. But after a day or two of feeling sorry for myself, I realized I had something I hadn’t had in years: time. I decided to use it.
I had been exploring a transition into financial services, and the opportunity I was pursuing required licensing. Instead of waiting for life to happen, I committed to earning my Property & Casualty and Life & Health insurance license, and then the SIE. My goal wasn’t just to pass tests; it was to become the strongest candidate I could be.
Overcoming the SIE exam through practice questions
The SIE quickly became the one that demanded the most from me. There is simply a lot to learn. Regulations, options, bonds, mutual funds, retirement accounts, market structure, it felt like drinking from a fire hose. Some days, I walked away from a study session feeling like I had everything figured out. Other days, I wondered if I had retained anything at all.
One thing that helped me stay grounded was tracking how confident I felt on every practice question.
I rated each one as:
- I know this
- I’m 50/50
- No clue
My goal wasn’t just to get the right answer; it was to understand why it was right. If I guessed correctly but marked it as a 3, I still treated it as something I needed to learn. That changed the way I studied.
Analyzing mistakes to help concepts stick
Rather than chasing higher practice exam scores, I started chasing understanding. I spent more time reviewing mistakes than celebrating correct answers. Slowly, topics that had felt impossible, especially options, started to click.
Achievable made that process easier by explaining concepts in a way that actually made sense. The lessons felt like they were written by someone trying to teach me, not impress me. The review system also kept bringing older material back at just the right time, which was incredibly helpful over several weeks of studying.
By exam week, I had completed thousands of practice questions and several full-length practice exams. I felt ready, at least until I sat down for the real thing.
The first fifteen questions completely rattled me. I honestly thought, “What exam have I been studying for?” They looked unfamiliar, and my confidence disappeared almost immediately. Fortunately, I remembered something I had been telling myself throughout my preparation: don’t panic, trust the process, and answer the question that’s in front of you. I slowed down.
Passing the SIE exam
A little while later, I realized something had changed. The questions started looking familiar again. The concepts I had spent weeks learning were there; I just needed to settle into the exam instead of letting the exam control me.
When I finally saw “Pass” on the screen, I didn’t mind admitting it was emotional. Passing the SIE wasn’t just another certification. It represented weeks of discipline during one of the more uncertain periods of my career. It reminded me that even being laid off can become an opportunity if you’re willing to invest in yourself.
If I could give one piece of advice to someone studying for the SIE, it would be this: don’t let a bad practice test, or even a rough start on exam day, convince you that you aren’t ready. Learn the concepts instead of memorizing answers. Spend more time understanding your mistakes than counting your correct answers. And trust the work you’ve put in. You probably know more than you think.
Passing the SIE was a huge milestone for me, but it’s also just the beginning. I’m now continuing my licensing journey while pursuing a career in financial services, and I’m grateful that Achievable was part of getting me there.
