The Career Discovery Podcast - What is a Career in Financial Services Sales like? In Conversation with a Head of Index Sales

What is a Career in Financial Services Sales like? In Conversation with a Head of Index Sales

02/22/23 • 80 min

The Career Discovery Podcast

On the show today we meet Liz! Liz works as a Head of Index Sales in the FinTech industry in the UK.

Liz kindly shares with us:

Area of Expertise (07:03)

An overview of the financial services industry ecosystem (banking, investment/asset management & FinTech)
Common misconceptions of the sales role
The purpose of the sales role
What a sales professional does on an average day
Most enjoyable parts of the role
Challenging parts of the role
Proudest moments in the role

Career Journey (31:04)

How Liz became a head of index sales from aspiring psychologist and CEO of Disney
Highs of the career journey
Challenges of the career journey
Importance of role models and mentors

Advice (01:03:42)

Helpful education, training and skills for aspiring financial services and FinTech sales professionals:
- IMC
The future of the sales in financial service and FinTech
Advice and resources for people who are keen to find out more about a career in sales and/or financial services and FinTech
Advice for her younger self and you!

Definitions:

FinTech - financial technology
AUM – assets under management
IFA – independent financial advisor

Other references:

Mountbatten Program

We also talk about:

The value of teamwork and organisational collaboration
The importance of networking and building lasting relationships
Recovering from setbacks, resilience, learning and finding the positives
Figuring out where in an organisation you can do your best work (cultures, environments, internal versus external clients etc)
How dreaming big seems more commonplace in US versus UK
The value of curiosity and asking questions
Diversity and inclusion within the industry
Balancing work, client entertainment and life

So if you’re curious and wondering what a sales professional in financial services and FinTech does or how to become a sales professional in the financial services or FinTech industry, listen, watch and enjoy!

→ Show notes

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On the show today we meet Liz! Liz works as a Head of Index Sales in the FinTech industry in the UK.

Liz kindly shares with us:

Area of Expertise (07:03)

An overview of the financial services industry ecosystem (banking, investment/asset management & FinTech)
Common misconceptions of the sales role
The purpose of the sales role
What a sales professional does on an average day
Most enjoyable parts of the role
Challenging parts of the role
Proudest moments in the role

Career Journey (31:04)

How Liz became a head of index sales from aspiring psychologist and CEO of Disney
Highs of the career journey
Challenges of the career journey
Importance of role models and mentors

Advice (01:03:42)

Helpful education, training and skills for aspiring financial services and FinTech sales professionals:
- IMC
The future of the sales in financial service and FinTech
Advice and resources for people who are keen to find out more about a career in sales and/or financial services and FinTech
Advice for her younger self and you!

Definitions:

FinTech - financial technology
AUM – assets under management
IFA – independent financial advisor

Other references:

Mountbatten Program

We also talk about:

The value of teamwork and organisational collaboration
The importance of networking and building lasting relationships
Recovering from setbacks, resilience, learning and finding the positives
Figuring out where in an organisation you can do your best work (cultures, environments, internal versus external clients etc)
How dreaming big seems more commonplace in US versus UK
The value of curiosity and asking questions
Diversity and inclusion within the industry
Balancing work, client entertainment and life

→ Show notes

Previous Episode

What is a Career in Capital Market Assumptions like? In Conversation with a Capital Market Assumptions Professional

On the show today we meet Edoardo! Edoardo works as a Capital Market Assumptions professional in the investment management/asset management industry in the UK.

Edoardo kindly shares with us:
Area of Expertise (03:27)

Common misconceptions of the capital market assumptions role
An overview of the financial services industry (including buy side versus sell side)
The purpose of the capital market assumptions role
What a capital market assumptions professional does on an average day
Specialist statistical analysis software tools:
- MATLAB
- Python
- R
Most enjoyable parts of the role
Challenging parts of the role
Proudest moments in the role

Career Journey (28:46)

How Edoardo became a capital market assumptions professional from aspiring police officer
Highs of the career journey
Challenges of the career journey
Importance of role models and mentors

Advice (56:36)

Helpful education, training and skills for aspiring capital market assumptions professionals
The future of the capital market assumptions profession
Advice and resources for people who are keen to find out more about a career in capital market assumptions and/or investment management/asset management
Advice for his younger self and you!

We also talk about:

Misconceptions of the finance industry and the knowledge and access gaps
The benefits of moving to a new country and getting to know different cultures
The value of keeping in touch with ex-employers, colleagues and friends
Balancing technical and softer skills and the importance of communication skills in all spheres
Finding the positives/lessons from challenges, things that don’t work out, failures etc

So if you’re curious and wondering what a capital market assumptions professional does or how to become a capital market assumptions professional, listen, watch and enjoy!
→ Show notes

Next Episode

What is a Career in Information Technology like? In Conversation with a Chief Information Officer (CIO)

On the show today we meet Barbara! Barbara works as a Chief Information Officer (CIO) in the financial services industry in the UK.

Barbara kindly shares with us:
Area of Expertise (02:36)

Common misconceptions of the CIO role
An overview of the financial services industry (including the connectivity with FinTech)
The purpose of the technology role
What a CIO does on an average day
An overview of the different roles within a technology team
Most enjoyable parts of the role
Challenging parts of the role
Proudest moments in the role

Career Journey (24:18)

How Barbara became a CIO from aspiring basketball player
Highs of the career journey
Challenges of the career journey
Importance of role models and mentors

Advice (49:41)

Helpful education, training and skills for aspiring technology professionals
The future of the technology profession
Advice and resources for people who are keen to find out more about a career in technology
Advice for her younger self and you!

Definitions:

MVP - minimum viable product or minimum viable proposition

Other references:

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

We also talk about:

The importance of cross-functional teams that incorporate the business and technology teams
Why you don’t have to be a coder to work in technology - there are a myriad of roles!
Project management methodologies and new ways of working
The importance of people in technology
The value of being open and honest about your aspirations
The importance of asking for help and failing fast
Diversity and inclusion within technology

So if you’re curious and wondering what a CIO does or what roles are available within technology; or how to become a CIO or how to get into technology, listen, watch and enjoy!
→ Show notes