I am pursuing and active experienced, and motivated Mentor in the financial field!
If you read this, first of all, thank you for taking the time to read it! My names Mason Drakos, I have a year left in the Navy and I'm trying to organize everything for when I get out in April 2017. Two full-time jobs with school on top of that can be pretty wearing, so I have a little bit of a delay in my responses to anyone here, but no more than 24 hours. My Mentor at the moment, who I've been with for a month, is unresponsive and non-inspired. I'm currently dealing with a mediator in the meantime to try and switch Mentors, but that isn't going as quickly as I'd like.
Perhaps, in the meantime, I could link up with another individual, formally or informally, to help achieve my long term and short term goals. Very interested in the financial field but figuring out which route I want to take and getting answers to questions I have, that can only be answered by someone in the field with personal experience. Extremely intrigued in Financial Advising and am willing to take the necessary steps, whatever they may be, to pursue and become hugely successful in this career. If anybody is available please don't hesitate to contact me through private message where we could further exchange emails and numbers; your time would be greatly appreciated.
- Mason Drakos
Answers
Mason,
I think you need to more clearly articulate what you are looking for from a civilian career. When you say "Financial field" do you mean as a commission/fee based advisor or an analyst?
I'm going to pass along a great self-assessment exercise a previous mentor started me on years ago. I keep it as a living document and try to update it a couple times per year.
You're going to make a T-chart (Like a pro/con list). The left side "Aspects of my current job I love" and the right side "Aspects of my current job I hate." Get as specific as possible - "I hate talking to customers/people" "I love solving problems." The more robust this list the better. The goal over time is to narrow your job search to jobs that maximize the traits you love and minimize the traits you hate.
The second list you’re going to make is a Green/Amber/Red chart of skills. Again, be as self-aware as possible. Green = Skills I have a mastery of, I can do them in my sleep. Red = Skills I suck at. If I had to perform this on a daily basis I would get fired/be killed. Obviously this list could get long; Brain surgery does not need to go on this list if you are not thinking about the medical field. Amber = untested or untrained skills. Maybe you're good at accounting but have very limited experience. But if accounting is yellow, attention to detail better be green - does this make sense?
I was a financial advisor for a couple years. I'd be happy to give you the ins and outs of what life is really like. I worked for a major financial institution but the experiences are pretty universal from self-starts to major firms. I'm new to these forums so if you can private message or email me I'll give you some dirt level insight.
Michael Murray's answer is spot-on. I would add this -- do you see yourself in sales, or in analysis? Both are rewarding, both can be in "financial services," but they are very different pathways. Try Gallup's StrengthsQuest online (about $10) to help you define your strengths. Keep on going!
I can help. I have worked with over 3,800 financial services advisers and 700 managers involving six of the major carriers like MetLife, Northwestern Mutual, Penn Mutual etc.The industry has an award each year called "GAMA Hall of Fame". I have personally Coached five of the last ten winners. I would be happy to speak with you. Just send me an email at ramco1@verizon.net. Mt normal fees are $500 per hour that I wave for people who have protected our country. I am eternally grateful. Please be sure to say who you are as I got lots of emails every day.
Warmly,
Bob
Hi Mason! I recommend you do an "informational interview" with established Financial Advisors in your area. If you need to learn more about this, email me: Coach@SuccessSkills.com
Jim "Da Coach" Rohrbach
http://www.SuccessSkills.com
Your Answer
Pleaselog into answer this question.