My guest on the show this week is Mollie Burdge. People say financial services isn’t a career young people aspire to. Mollie doesn’t agree.
We talk about how she became an apprentice at financial adviser firm Future Proof and about her experiences along the way to achieving her goal of becoming a financial adviser.
Welcome to episode 174 of the Marketing and Finance Podcast.
What you’ll hear about in this episode
- Why Mollie joined a financial services company
- How the apprenticeship programme works
- Why Mollie decided to become a financial adviser
- The qualifications Mollie studied for
- The customer case she’s most proud of working on
- Mollie’s advice for young people considering financial services jobs
Who is Mollie Burdge?
After completing her A-levels at Reigate College, Mollie didn’t think university was for her. Instead, she went straight into Future Proof as an apprentice in customer services.
Future Proof provide advice about protection products to customers across the UK. They also operate a referral service for advisers who don’t specialise in protection. Although small, the company is growing steadily, and have won many of industry awards.
They distinguish themselves by giving customers clear advice, rather than selling them the wrong product. They want customers to be confident that they’ve chosen the best policy for them.
Summary of our chat
Mollie chose to complete an apprenticeship in customer services and was able to secure an apprenticeship at Future Proof. 18 months in the role taught her how to build customer rapport and the importance of teamwork and professionalism. While learning about the industry, she’s also grown her skills, confidence and experience.
Mollie explains that an apprenticeship is the same as a normal job, where you learn as you go. Her first task was supporting customers with policy and payment queries whilst studying as well. She had to complete 12 months of coursework, providing examples from her daily work, to gain a Level Three qualification.
Working in customer services gave Mollie a good understanding of the company’s products, although not how they applied to customers. She felt that becoming a financial adviser would offer more challenges, variety and the opportunity to progress. She particularly enjoys carrying out research to support customers with challenging medical histories to find them the best policy.
Mollie has studied for an NVQ Level 3 in customer services. For her financial adviser role, she completed the RO1 (Regulations and Ethics within the UK and European financial services market). She followed this with RO5, which focuses exclusively on protection. She will complete further training on an ongoing basis to develop her knowledge.
Mollie’s most memorable case was a lady who was struggling to find cover after cancer treatment. She found a company willing to insure the customer, but they changed their minds at the last minute. Mollie’s employer, Future Proof, helped her to challenge the unfair decision and have it overturned.
Mollie’s advice for young people considering financial services: Do your research and find a reputable firm. There’s no point in learning from a company that doesn’t do things properly and picking up bad habits. Be tenacious and open to any job which offers progression. Learn as much as you can and gain experience.
Mollie is a passionate advocate for young people in financial services.
Where Mollie will be in 5 years
She wants to gain more experience and grow in confidence. Future Proof is growing, so she hopes to be offered more opportunities. She’d also like to be recognised by her peers and clients as a trusted expert in her field. One of the most important things for the industry is to get the word out about protection insurance, so she wants to promote that.
The big take away from our chat
Never say no to the opportunity to learn and gain more experience. It doesn’t matter if it’s just attending a conference or completing extra training – it will be helpful in the long term.
A marketing campaign or product that grabbed Mollie’s attention
The company UnderwriteMe offers a brilliant platform, and they’re also working to bring companies together, which is great. It makes Mollie’s work quicker, and helps her to set clients’ expectations. It reduces the need to pre-sell underwriting as more insurance come on board.
Links and contact details
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