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By: Alex Nikotina
Published On: August 24, 2016Having made a decision for your future career, all you need to do is set goals and walk steadily in the direction of achieving them. This was the attitude that Terence Wong had towards his career and his future, and it led to his success in the financial services industry.
Terence was inspired to pursue a career in financial services by his family. “My mom is a broker in Vancouver,” he says with a smile. “And I learned a lot from her about finances and managing money. Seeing her example, I always knew I wanted to follow a similar career path, and she often encouraged me to pursue it.”
Terence started his career in business-to-business sales. “It was a great opportunity to learn how to accommodate for the needs of different clients and establish business relationships,” he shares. However, Terence knew that education was a necessary step for his career growth.
“My goal was to gain more knowledge and experience to move from sales towards financial planning.”
Terence registered for the Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC) at Ashton College while still working in sales. “I wasn’t planning to work with investments directly, but it was an opportunity to learn more about financial services and to better understand the role of investors in the bigger picture.”
For Terence, as for every professional in the financial services, continuing professional development is the key to success in the industry. “The financial world changes very often: there are always new strategies and concepts, new products and services. We need to continue learning to stay on top of things.”
“It is definitely helpful to have designations when working with clients. You become more knowledgeable and confident in your advice, and it is easier to build trust with the clients.”
“Going back to school while working was challenging,” shares Terence. “But it was a good experience for me. It encouraged me to push a bit further than I would if I was to learn by myself.” Following the CIFC, Terence has also completed the Life License Qualification Program (LLQP).
“If there is one thing that I would give people an advice on, it’s to continue learning and working towards your goals,” shares Terence. “The bigger the goal, the bigger the reward will be.”
Terence himself was able to achieve the goal he was working so earnestly towards: helping clients with estate planning. “One of the things I really enjoy is the analysis portion of my work,” he says.
“In my opinion, the most important job of a financial services professional is to analyze the client’s situation and to see which solution would fit them the best.”
Now, Terence aims to grow in his role and build a successful career. “I’m not sure where the road takes me, but I am definitely excited to learn more and have more responsibilities in my work.”
On top of his work, Terence also continues to follow his passion. “I really enjoy photography,” he shares. “It’s something I’ve been doing professionally for a few years, and so far I’m not planning to stop!”
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