Emma Jackson ACSI, solutions analyst at SEI Investments, is an inspirational young professional who successfully transitioned to her current position after completing a graduate programme
by Jane Playdon
Members can opt in to receive Young Professionals Network communications through their communication preferences in MyCISIWhen Emma was eight years old (she is now 23), she asked her godmother what professions pay well. The answer – “trading” – has determined her future. “You never know how a conversation may change your life,” says Emma.
Emma is now well on her way towards a rewarding and fulfilling career in financial services. She chatted to us about the day-to-day demands of her role and her vision for the future.
What are your career hopes and aspirations?
Most sectors are lacking female representation in senior leadership positions and finance is no exception. I want to be a role model for other women, so I plan to break the glass ceiling and become a CEO. It will be interesting to see how many other women take the challenge!
What is your greatest career achievement so far?
I am proud of successfully transitioning to a permanent position after completing a two-year associate programme. During my time on the scheme I rotated through different positions in operations, change and relationship management, gaining a holistic perspective of the different roles and how they work together to provide great client outcomes. It can be a challenge navigating the different personalities in a business, but I’m proud to have been able to take ownership of various services in my current role to the point where I am now the go-to person for them in my team.
How do you spend a typical day at work?
Every day is different and I have to think on my feet. Being in the proposition team we are responsible for designing and implementing services. The company has a strong focus on innovation, which I love, and I have the opportunity to attend conferences, read white papers and seek client input and feedback. I love that my role enables me to interact with so many departments internally too. A typical day will involve many meetings and the follow-ups vary – research, data analysis, presentations, and much more. A big area I have worked on recently has been the Markets in Financial Instruments II (MiFID II), which I'm sure has impacted many others within the financial services sector.
What is the one thing you think millennials will change significantly in the financial services sector as they progress through their careers?
Millennials (like me) are depicted as the most educated, technically savvy and socially responsible generation to date – yet we may be unable to afford to buy and own our own properties. These characteristics make working with millennials interesting. We are interested in change and advancement, and we’re not afraid to think on our feet. Flexible working is already widely accepted within most organisations. However, I believe millennials will take this further, potentially to the point where we all work in virtual offices. This may not be specific to finance but rather a commentary of the millennial mindset. Give it ten years, and we’ll be in meetings as holograms!
What do you think is the current perception of financial services?
This has shifted marginally for many years. For those who are outside the sector looking in, we take long lunches, have lavish lifestyles and con people out of their hard-earned cash. From the inside, I know this isn’t true for the majority of us, but there’s a disconnect between the insiders and outsiders caused by a lack of trust, education and awareness. Scandals really don’t make this any easier! Regulation and changes in practices are starting to make the financial sector more transparent which will help in the long run, but the sector has a long way to go to win over the public. This reputation problem isn’t unique to the finance sector, many sectors are struggling to change public perception.
The one piece of advice you’d give to a school-leaver/graduate
Although it can be intimidating, networking is so important and you really should make the effort. Dive in and join conversations – especially early in your career. You won’t be expected to know everything, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. People were in your shoes once and will be understanding. Networking doesn’t have to be big – work up to it! Speak to someone in a different team in your office, make conversation. Build up to external! It also helps to read up on speakers before you go to events, maybe think of questions before hand.
If you have an inspiring or helpful story for people starting out in their career, please get in touch. We'd love to hear from you. Contact jane.playdon@cisi.org