Making a difference
For Deborah Willoughby, a mortgage and protection adviser at Alexander Bell in Hamilton, the most critical aspect of her role is concentrating on client success.
“Have the client at the forefront of everything that you do. That's your main focus, and everything else falls into place when you do that.”
This is what makes a career in financial advice so rewarding: you’re making a tangible difference in other people’s lives. When you succeed, they succeed. And because every client has their own individual requirements, you’re dealing with fresh challenges every day.
“Every client you meet has got different aspirations and financial goals,” says Deborah. That’s why financial advisers need to be well-rounded individuals who can cope with whatever the job throws at them.
“There are many qualities you need to thrive in this industry,” Deborah says. “You need a good work ethic, and you need to have good listening skills.”
It’s this all-round aspect that makes a career in financial advice so satisfying.
Not just jobs for the boys
In the past, the financial services industry has been very much seen as a male preserve. But Deborah says that these attitudes are well on their way out. Yes, there’s still an imbalance – but that’s all the more reason to help correct it.
“This industry is very male dominated, but I feel that means there's lots of opportunity there for women, and more women should get involved.”
Given this, Deborah doesn’t think that any woman should be put off from thinking about a career move into the industry. Instead, she sees it as a sector in which women can thrive.
“The advice I would give to young women considering a career in financial services would be to go for it and don't look back.”
Accelerating careers
For anyone making the move into financial advice, there’s plenty of support available from the Openwork network. Deborah speaks highly of how Openwork allows advisers to enjoy the best of both worlds: working on their own and being part of a wider organisation.
“Openwork’s financial knowledge is fantastic. A partnership with them allows you to continue your own business but also have that backing and support from a huge financial network.”
And the support that Openwork offers can help advisers to accelerate their careers, as Deborah notes:
“Opportunities Openwork has provided that I didn't expect would include the Business School. If you want to further your learning and develop in your career, then you've got the opportunity to do that with the full backing of Openwork.”
Interested in learning more about Openwork?
Whether you’re starting out on your own as an adviser or are already well established in the industry, you might like to learn more about how we can support you and help your business grow.
Whatever stage you’re at, we have the tools and training to help you advance your career. And with Openwork, you’re never on your own, even if you’re striking out solo.
On top of this, our Business School is open to all members of our network. When you work as a financial adviser, you never stop learning, so we’re confident that the Business School offers something for everyone, whatever their stage of experience. At Openwork, we’re always keen to help advisers take their firms further. So please don’t hesitate to get in touch so that we can show you how we can help.