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So I've been with the company for eight months and it's been hard getting proper training I needed to do the job. I almost have to beg/bother my colleagues to help me since there is no offical training program/protocol in place.

As a result, I was told it takes couple years until I am fully knowledgeable enough to start facing clients directly. I spent my first four months really just being in meetings that I didn't really know anything being discussed since I had no background knowledge. That was when I was hired, my manager and team lead both have now left and we got a new manager who now wants me start facing clients.

I brought up what I was told during hiring that it takes couple of years and that I felt I have not had enough proper training. Her response was "We have to hit the ground running" I feel this would hurt clients as I would not be able to answer their questions and considering these clients are spending lots of money, telling them incorrect answers would jeopardize our contracts.

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    A couple of years? Want to know a client facing role that takes a couple of years to get into? MEDICAL DOCTOR. And they learn the whole doctor thing actually pretty much ALL the time - no client facing things. A couple of years is a LOOOOOONG time. I have problems envisioning ANY role that does not allow client facing junior level work within a month or two. Most even within the first day.
    – TomTom
    Oct 13, 2018 at 15:34
  • @tomtom A couple of years is definitely too long but less than few months it's a very bad move. Pick a random program you don't know and let's go sell it at day one...more complex what you sell and more time you need. More regulations? More time. Assuming you know the field. Of course a junior should start paired with someone senior. Eight months seems way enough for most jobs (but definitely not all)
    – Adriano Repetti
    Oct 13, 2018 at 16:56
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    @TomTom Junior / Trainee doctors do face to face I had one put a cannula in on the 2nd day of her training last year.
    – Neuromancer
    Oct 13, 2018 at 17:13
  • I guess I should've specified. This is a banking role so I also have to know the regulations and laws governing the financial sector. That's my main concern really.
    – LegendofLegends
    Oct 13, 2018 at 18:42
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    Yes, you should. Still not understanding. I originally after schooled started working as a broker. I think I had customer exposure on WEEK 2!. Nothing large, but - sitting in meetings, working on presentaitons others have prepared. These days I regularly sit at the other table, and for a BANKING role - sorry - I still ahve to be in a single meeting which was not a straight "read from paperwork" style sales presentation. Not arguing let's say 2-3 months before you can collect a risk assessment yourself, but MONTHS (even half a year) is more like "get out" level. This stuff is simple.
    – TomTom
    Oct 14, 2018 at 18:04

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The regulations and laws governing financial institutions are not particularly complex and don't differ that much between countries. Also they're available to anyone interested. So it's actually fairly easy to get a good overview and detail in a few hours research.

I suggest you do that and train yourself. Start with the overview and then get familiar with the details. If your company does not have the reference documents, then you can copy them from the various govt websites.

I have read the legislation concerning financial institutions for several countries and a large part of my revenue stream depends on compliance in detail with these. I'm neither a lawyer nor a banker. Yet if I get a new client in a new country, I can design them a fully compliant financial system over night just by reading the legislation and knowing how I need to apply it to my task (this part only takes a few minutes at most). Once you have this knowledge it's just a matter of retaining it and updating whenever the legislation changes.

If I'm facing a client I prepare like any meeting, I would have a copy of the relevant legislation with me for quick reference or discussion.

Word of advice:- if your company is providing financial services yet playing things by ear rather than working off the legislation. Then this is a red flag on fire. This is one of the most highly regulated and audited industries, very little leeway is given. Cowboy companies eventually get their bank accounts frozen and worse.

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  • Well said. This is NOT "months of training" level.
    – TomTom
    Oct 14, 2018 at 18:05

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