Usual working hours are not the norm for this adviser, as she juggles client meetings and music events
Monday
8.10am is the school run. With my youngest son being 16, this will not continue for much longer, but with a trombone in tow most days it would be cruel to make him walk.
Monday morning is supposed to be blocked out for admin. Fifty per cent of the time this works, which sometimes allows me an hour in the gym before I am at my desk for 10am.
At my desk, I have time to review my diary for the week and a chance to prepare for my 2pm appointment that afternoon at hospital to see my client.
It is non-clinical time so a good opportunity to review the client’s National Health Service pension and annual allowance.
I discuss our analysis, deliver our report and review the client’s pension.
While it is not always an easy message to deliver, advising on the withdrawal from the NHS pension is almost never in the best interest of the member so understanding the benefits is vital.
My aim is to always leave the client better informed than before we met.
At 5pm I drive to pick up my son from school and deliver him to his music commitments, then it’s off to The Bach Choir for me in the evening.
Tuesday
After the school run, my first port of call is always to the NHS pensions helpline, where I will obtain some historic pension growth and pay information.
From this, I build the data required to produce our analysis and send it across to our analyst for appointments later that week, then I am off to my other local hospital, where I have two clients to present pension analyses to.
Later on is a quick school pick-up and a chance to sit down and eat with the family before my 7pm appointment with clients who wish to review their investment portfolio.
I will probably get home between by 10pm and write up anything from the meeting while it is fresh in my head. I much prefer working late into the evening as it is quiet and the email traffic is lower.
Wednesday and Thursday
These days tend to resemble Tuesday. Working with the medical profession means that I am essentially ‘on call’ when they are not, so invariably I work three evenings every week.
As long as the admin is not piling up high on my desk, I am able to make a quick visit to the gym on Wednesday or Thursday morning.
Friday
Friday mornings are dedicated to admin but quite often I will be attending a meeting at one of my hospitals in the afternoon. It is great to catch so many clients in one space and it gives them an opportunity to run things past me.
I normally have a presentation slot twice a year at these meetings, which allows me to bring them up to date on legislative changes.
Then it is the weekend, and if I am lucky it will be at least Sunday afternoon before my desk is calling me again.
Veronica Trotter is financial services consultant at Charles Derby
If you would like to write a Diary of an Adviser then contact Ima Jackson-Obot at ima.jacksonobot@ft.com
