The prospect of joining a new company can be a nerve-racking time. Am I making the right decision? Will I be a success? Will I fit in to the company ethos? Will I get on with my colleagues? We have all been in that situation, regardless of the grade, and it is nothing to be ashamed of.
After three intense interviews, I was offered the chance to work for BWD as a Consultant within the Wealth Management Division. From the outset, I knew it was the place I wanted to further my career and after meeting all the directors and senior members of the company, it was clear that this could happen.
Now one month in, do I still feel the same? Of course, even more than I anticipated, so let’s have a look at what has been involved.
Training
On my first day, I was presented with a fully bespoke training schedule for the upcoming weeks. This involved sessions with other individuals that had joined, focussing on the company and their values, but the majority are specific to my area. Many of the sessions involve an assessment based task, with all having to be passed before you are deemed competent to do your role.
It was clear from the first couple of days, the level of investment they had placed on training was incredible. Nothing like I anticipated, but that is a good thing. It is not just about the art of recruitment and their perception of what makes a good consultant, it goes much further. BWD are a Financial Services only recruiter and this is instilled at the beginning. Much of the training is focused on the industry, with specific focus to the sector/division you are working in, so for me it was Wealth Management.
Knowledge
The knowledge in the group is phenomenal. I certainly understand why so many of their clients view them as a Financial Services Partner, not just a recruiter, treating them as they do with any other organisation they have a relationship with within the industry. Because of the confidence these clients have with BWD, it makes sense why they invest so much in training.
Environment
It is vital to have a great working environment, but trying to avoid the cliché of “it is a fabulous place to work” is difficult, but I shall and explain why it is. It is a very rewarding environment with no micro-management practices, something I am not used to. Consultants are provided with the freedom to plan and manage their own time appropriately. Clearly, this is target driven industry therefore you can’t sit back and hope that everything is done for you, but you are treated as adults.
The variety of personalities complement each other, demonstrating that people have been selected on their strengths. Despite having an array of different characters, it is a very close-knit group and have adopted a very good social side too, in which I was integrated into from the very beginning.
Rewarding
The overall financial package was certainly appealing, but it went above and beyond that. We currently have an incentive for a trip to Las Vegas. As I am still a ‘newbie’ my target is reflected into this, rather than all having the same as an established Consultant. It is somewhat annoying I hadn’t moved sooner, as a group of them have already qualified to a trip to Porto, but I shall not dwell on this, but focus on Vegas instead.
In addition, they run other incentives, both linked to the role and from a personal aspect. Little things such as having the day off for your birthday and the time between Christmas and New Year as standard. Maybe small, but they are thinking of their employees.
Future
I have to say my journey so far has been nothing but exciting. The team, management, environment and the prospects has certainly made me think about that all of those questions at the beginning. The answer is a resounding YES.
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