Use CPD to advance your business goals
It was Einstein who once said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
Many of us took our qualification prior to many of the changes we are experiencing today, such as SMCR among many others.
Getting to grips with new requirements and change takes time and effort. So use your CPD to focus on areas like this that you have to stay on top of. That will help your business.
Use CPD to satisfy your customers
Customers’ needs and wants are always evolving and this year has shown how quick and surprising that evolution can become. CPD is a great vehicle for keeping up with that.
Take, for example, the growing demand for ethical investment – an area where a good adviser can really add value by unpicking the requirements of ESG and giving customers a better understanding of the different options to invest their funds ethically.
This is a complex area, but CPD can help you gain a solid grounding of how it works so that you can explain it to your customers in simple, clear language and answer any questions.
Use CPD to advance your professional goals
Think about what you want the CPD to lead to in terms of your personal ambition. Are you looking for more professional recognition, such as chartered status or a digital badge? Because you may be closer to those goals than you realise.
Many of our professional qualifications contain bitesize units or modules that you can study on a stand-alone basis for CPD, which will help you move towards chartered status.
Or you may choose to complete a more advanced qualification, such as our Advanced Diploma in Financial Advice (Adv DipFA) which – if you have got at least three years relevant work experience – would make you eligible to apply for Chartered Associate status with LIBF.
Similarly, if you hold the advanced Diploma and you do the requisite 35 hours of CPD required by the FCA, you will no doubt be applying for your Statement of Professional Standing (SPS).
The SPS is a requirement if you wish to practise as a retail investment adviser and if you are an LIBF member, completing your SPS will make you eligible for Certified Financial Adviser status.
As well entitling you to a digital credentials badge which you can use on LinkedIn and in your email signature, as a Certified Financial Adviser you would be included on our searchable Professional Services Register, and receive a host of other benefits.
Be discerning when choosing CPD activities
Many advisers, pre-Covid would attend various events and seminars, but of course at the moment, that’s not possible. Conversely, there’s is an abundance of digital webinars – many of which are excellent.
