By Cathi Harrison, founder and CEO, The Verve Group
Inspired by a week ‘back on the tools’, this article is brought to you by the paraplanning joys of a snipping tool, and the little pipette in Word for colour matching (if you know, you know).
10 reasons why paraplanning as a role and paraplanners as people are the absolute best:
- The enjoyment of being a detective, piecing everything together, and the satisfaction when it all clicks into place.
- The privilege of being in charge of writing something so meaningful and personal to clients. Yes, sometimes, it’s a bit dry and compliance-y. But these are also people’s actual lives and the peace of mind you are helping them by demystifying this financial world is a huge job perk.
- Plus, everyone knows we’re the smart ones in finance really
- The joy of no one outside of finance understanding what you do. Sure, it can be frustrating but, it can also be fun, mysterious, and enigmatic. Do with their ignorance what you will.
- A tax calculation that just adds up.
- An annual charges platform disclosure that has all the numbers needed right there
- The friendliest community in finance™️
- Getting to see all the latest tech and platforms. Providers love showing their new stuff to the paraplanners who will truly get it. Paraplanners love poking around and testing out new things. Match made in nerdy heaven.
- Stationery.
- The safety of our jobs from AI. I thought it anyway, but a short spell in the nitty gritty of paraplanner life reminded me that, for the foreseeable future, we fall firmly in the camp of the job role where you hope AI will make things much easier, but you also know the detail and nuance you convey is what makes your job special and, in turn, what protects it from full automation.
It really is an incredible career choice on its own, and that’s not to mention what a phenomenal springboard it is to other career paths. Yes, advising, but we’ve also had paraplanners go into training or into managing post-life at Verve. The long and short of it is that paraplanning gives you the deepest possible insight into financial services, making the rest of the industry your oyster.
If you have a phenomenal paraplanner in your team, today you should take a moment to hug them close. Or, just say thanks and avoid any awkwardness – we’re not always the most tactile of creatures.
