What’s your current role – and what does it involve?
I am a trainee employee benefits advisor, supporting SMEs to set up and manage employee benefit schemes. A big part of my role is helping employers find ways to increase engagement to make sure employees make full use of these benefits. I’m also working towards my Diploma in Financial Planning so I can advise on pensions. Some of the content can be a bit dry, but a lot links directly to my day-to-day work so has been really useful. I can now name all 12 of the FCA Principles so naturally I have become the life of every party.
What’s the best and worst thing about your job?
It might sound clichéd, but talking to and helping clients is the best part of my job. When a client genuinely thanks you for sorting an issue that has been weighing on them for months, it is a great feeling. But if I’m completely honest, Football Shirt Friday might beat even this. It is my major contribution to the company to date. All it involves is wearing a football shirt on a Friday. I will admit, some weeks only 3 or 4 get involved, although there have been more. Rain or shine though, if it’s a Friday I will be there in my football shirt, even if it’s just me. It is the highlight of my week and a great icebreaker in client meetings. The worst part of my job is definitely being on hold when calling providers. Sometimes when I go to sleep at night I can still hear the Canada Life music.
What made you apply for a role in the pensions industry?
Being completely honest, I didn’t actually apply for this job; a recruiter found my CV and thought I’d be a perfect fit. I couldn’t be happier that he did. Over the course of the last 16 months it’s become clear to me that employees and employers really need help understanding their pensions and what they mean. That’s where me and my colleagues come in and hopefully make a real difference.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
When I was still fairly new a colleague said: “A good advisor knows when they do not know the answer.” I found that reassuring. It made me more confident about being open with clients when I cannot give them an answer on the spot. They always appreciate the honesty, and it means I can go away, check the details properly, and come back with the right information. Another great bit of advice, especially when having a bad day at work: “If you want the rainbow, you’ve got to put up with the rain”. And do you know which ‘philosopher’ said that? Dolly Parton.
How can the pensions industry attract and engage more young people?
I think it’s about awareness and education. Most people aren’t going to engage with something unless they care, right? So we need to be finding ways to get younger people to care. A lot of younger people never actually see their pension as it’s often hidden away on a portal they only log into once a year. If providers pushed better apps, where you can check your pension as easily as you check your bank balance, I think engagement would improve massively. If pension providers ‘gamified’ aspects of their apps it could also help. It wouldn’t hurt to maybe explore certain aspects of that, for example, offering miniature rewards for checking your pension for three consecutive months. And that’s just off the top of my head.
The second thing that comes to mind is access into the industry itself. There aren’t many entry level roles that don’t expect experience, so it puts a lot of graduates off before they’ve even considered it. If more companies opened the door to people who are completely new but willing to learn, you’d naturally get more young people interested. Once you’re in the industry, you realise it’s a lot more interesting and important than you thought.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I would love to work abroad, more specifically in Italy as I have family there. I most likely see myself still working in this industry, as I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface so far. One thing’s for certain is that wherever I am I will be wearing football shirts on a Friday.
What was your dream job when you were at school?
I remember being about seven and coming home from school saying, ‘Mama, when I grow up, I want to be a trainee employee benefits consultant. Some
…introducing the next generation of rising stars in the DC pensions, benefits and consultancy industry. This month we hear from Cosimo Edwards, trainee employee benefits consultant Wingate Benefit Solutions
one’s got to tackle the inefficiency in UK SME group risk distribution, and more importantly, make sure employees fully appreciate their added-value benefits, because what’s the point of 24/7 virtual GPs if no one even knows they exist?’
My mum told me not to be silly and that I would never amount to anything like that. She feels pretty daft now.
To be featured in this column contact us at editorial.ca@definitearticlemedia.com