A whirlwind of change — transitioning into the financial planning industry

The last six months have been full of transition. The first wave of change was graduating from William Paterson University in New Jersey and accepting a job as an associate financial adviser with FJY Financial in Virginia. My emotions were mixed; I was thrilled to be offered an amazing job at a prestigious firm, but I was nervous about leaving my family and friends to move to a new, unknown city. Although it was bittersweet, I am thrilled to say that I am more than satisfied with my decision. I do miss my friends and family and value the time I am able to visit them, but I love this new place I now call home. I am lucky to be working at a firm with incredible mentors who have been teaching me more than I could have even imagined; I have been given responsibilities most recent graduates do not have.
The next period of change occurred three months in, when I was no longer in the training phrase. I transitioned from shadowing and training with other advisers at FJY to being a support adviser for about 65 clients. My responsibilities now include prepping for meetings, taking notes during meetings and taking care of the follow-up. At first, this was overwhelming — I was not used to managing my time with these tasks! Luckily, with time, I have adjusted and learned how to prioritize so that everything is completed efficiently.
I am currently beginning to face new challenges and changes that come with taking on these responsibilities. But now that I am getting more comfortable in my position, I hope to begin to see myself grow as an adviser. I have learned the policies and procedures at FJY and recognize that I need to actively begin thinking outside the box. Of course, I want to continue to follow the rules and procedures, but I also want to add my own value to the client experience. I also plan to take on more initiatives with the firm. For instance, this could mean leading a future financial planning or investment committee meeting, or becoming a “super user” for one of our technologies. Utilizing my creative thinking and becoming proactive will help me make my mark at FJY.
I also recently began gearing up for the certified financial planner exam that I will be taking in March. Everyone who has taken the exam knows this requires many, many hours of studying and practicing in order to pass. My biggest challenge will be making sure I stick to my study plan: working a full day and then going home to study at night.
I value my education at William Paterson and would not be where I am today without the financial planning program and wonderful professors within the program. However, financial planning cannot be taught solely in the classroom. I have experienced many different financial planning-related situations this year that I would not have been able to work through or understand without the hands-on experience I have acquired. I know I still have so much to learn, and that is one of the aspects that makes me excited to be part of this industry. Financial planning is constantly changing and improving, and I look forward to growing with FJY and the industry.
Kelly McNerney is an associate financial planner at FJY Financial.