Back in 2000, I was a qualified accountant in the world of commerce and business. This was rewarding and lucrative career, albeit one which demanded a certain level of intensity – you have to be disciplined, and consistent in your standards.

However, the work often means I had to make work-life choices, rather than having work-life balance. It was also not as hands-on: while audits and accounts are important to any business, it didn’t always provide me with a direct sense of fulfilment – I prefer to feel that I am helping individual clients to better their lives, in a more direct way.

While I enjoyed the routine and consistency of the work, I also realised it came with a disadvantage. There was a bit of a career bottleneck, which I was eager to break past.

After 11 years as an accountant, I made the decision to join the financial industry in 2011. The transition was challenging, because it was a whole new ball game for me.

Within my agency, I moved up to become a Master Financial Services Consultant. This is a job scope that includes key specialisations such as Corporate Risk Management, and Personal Wealth Planning.

How, the transition involved a number of challenges. While risk management or wealth planning are well-defined in theory, I learned it’s not always straightforward in the real world. Understanding the concepts and crunching the numbers are one thing; but you also need to understand each individual client’s specific needs and wants. There’s no universal formula. When it comes down to execution, I need to devise a customised financial management plan for each individual.

The other worry was a nagging fear of rejection; I now had to approach the market and find prospective clients.

It’s different from the comfortable routine of just having the day’s work arrive at my desk for me.

It took immense hard work and resilience to dive into cold marketing; and I had constantly harbour the faith that I could succeed. It was only after being persistent, and working the cold market despite the fear, that I started to get referrals and warmer leads.

In the digital age, social media marketing and online-interaction also became a norm for me.

The evolving digital media landscape has made insurance more accessible than ever. On the upside, this means it’s now easier to reach out to large numbers of potential clients, without expensive above-the-line media (television ads, radio, etc.)

The internet is a powerful and free platform. However, this also means there’s heightened competition for the overall market. Developing a social media presence, and coping with the intense competition, requires constant self-learning.

It took faith, perseverance, and the unwavering support of my family, friends, and colleagues.

These were key factors in making the transition easier. But underlying this was the nature in which I like to work: I prefer to tend to my clients directly and on a personal level, which allows me to better priories their needs. This helped to build trust, and over time it created a much-needed foothold for me.

Equal rewards for equal effort

While my new job is not as routine as I’d like, it comes with many benefits. Most of all, I love that it’s restored work-life balance, allowing me to work at my own pace. This allows more flexibility in juggling family time with work.

My new career also doesn’t have the same bottleneck or glass ceiling, and I can continue to progress for as long as I pursue it.

Never let fear stop you. The only thing to fear is losing the chance to better yourself, when an opportunity comes along.

The first step is always the hardest, but the great things come with great effort. Embrace the opportunity to better yourself or your career when it comes along; and hold on to your faith and stay focused.

Read Cecil’s story and interested to find out more about how to make that career switch that you always wanted?

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