How I became a… Client Personal Assistant

What is your title at Progeny and what does your role entail?  

I am a Client Personal Assistant. My role is mainly providing day-to-day support for clients and delivering exceptional standards of client service.

How long have you worked in your field?

Just over two years but I have been at Progeny just over a month now!

Why did you choose this profession?

I chose this profession because I’ve always been interested in finance and as a sociable person, I’ve always enjoyed working with people. Being a Client Personal Assistant is a great blend of both.

Have you always known (ie, since childhood, school) this was the area for you or did this develop over time?

No, growing up I wanted to be an actress or tennis player! I knew growing up that I wanted to work with people, and I grew my interest of finance over time. I was always interested in knowing about the latest financial news when I was in school and that led me to learning more about personal finance and investing into shares and funds for myself. I also enjoyed learning about the financial industry and did a few insight days at various banks to see where I could fit into the industry myself.

Tell us a bit about the education and qualifications you need to do your job. 

I studied economics at university which helped me understand the fundamentals of the financial system, more specifically platforms within wealth management, taxes and microeconomics. I am also currently studying for the CFA Investment Management Certificate, which has helped me understand more about pensions, inheritances, capital gains and so forth. This has been helpful when communicating with clients and platforms regarding clients and their family’s wealth, as I already know the underlying foundation of what the financial planners offer and advise to clients.

In addition to the qualifications, what further skills, experience and attributes do you think make for a good Client Personal Assistant?

It would be beneficial to be personable, have great time management and organisational skills, and be a problem solver.

What other routes through education/experience might people take to reach your role?

If you have a background in working with product providers, this could be very beneficial, as it gives you great insight into what Progeny can offer to clients and an understanding behind the products.

What advice would you give to anyone wishing to follow in your career footsteps?

Stay curious and use your initiative! If there is something you don’t understand, take the necessary actions to learn and understand what it is. Ask the right people the right questions. It was by asking the right people that I figured out which qualifications I could undertake to further my career.

What do you see as the next steps in your career?

I’m still new in my role so I would like to build on my skills and knowledge in my current role, but I would love to undertake the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and then see where that takes me. One thing that I love about Progeny is that there is a wide range of learning and personal development that they support you on!

Any last words of wisdom you’d like to add?

Attitude makes up a large part of your success – if you’re willing to learn new things, network with new people and help others around you, you will most likely be more successful than you would if you had a limited mindset and attitude.