Having lost her mum due to cancer at the age of only 10, Yim Wan Ting, a Financial Consultant from Jaden Wang Group in Assets Prestige Alliance ("APA"), is passionate about helping her clients to get protected.
Fortunately, there were some insurance payouts which helped support the family during the challenging time. But as she grew older, Wan Ting found out that she and her sister were unable to get insurance coverage at standard premium rates due to their mother’s medical history.
So while some insurance agents may choose to focus on savings plans which are easier to sell, her approach is firmly focused on protection and planning through proper financial needs analyses.
She said: “Health is the greatest asset in financial planning. I want to share my knowledge and experience, to ensure people around me don’t get insured late like myself.”
Career Detours
She did not jump straight into the insurance industry, of course. Like most people, becoming a financial consultant was not something that crossed her mind when she first entered the workforce.
With a keen interest in F&B, she had graduated with a diploma in F&B business and worked in the sector for four years, switching between service and kitchen roles.
However, it soon took a toll on her health, given the long hours and physically demanding job. She found herself forking out a significant portion of her monthly income for regular chiropractic adjustments and TCM treatments to soothe her aches. Her discomfort was made worse by the stubborn joint pains she developed in cheerleading activities during her school days.
Deciding to take a short break from the F&B industry, she took on a new role as an HR executive at APA where she met Financial Services Director Jaden Wang. Jaden made an impression on her as an empathetic leader, meticulous in coaching even in fulfilling administrative tasks.
Over time, as she observed and experienced the organisation’s work culture under the leadership of Jaden, which aligned with her values, she eventually decided to join Jaden to become a financial consultant.
Measure of Success
Having been in the industry for more than a year now, to Wan Ting, success is helping a person to see the importance of financial planning. This includes understanding the CPF system, estimating costs of their goals, and planning well to reach their goals efficiently. And most importantly, be insured early and be sufficiently covered.
She added, “It is a bonus should they decide to trust me with their financial planning. I believe any achievement in this career is a byproduct of ethics and continuous learning.”
With such a mindset to serve, she makes it a point to explain insurance to anyone who comes along her way in daily conversations. This attitude has helped Wan Ting to earn the trust of her clients, and she now gets most of her new clients through referrals.
Traits for the Trade
Lastly, Wan Ting shared three qualities she embraces as a compass for her insurance career:
Responsible - “I believe in working hard to be able to manage myself well, and not need to impose on anyone. By taking charge of problems I encounter and focusing on the solutions, this will help me progress past each obstacle.”
Ethical - Value morals beyond potential gains. All products have their benefits, but not all products suit a person’s needs. Understand a person’s financial position and goals, and find a suitable solution for them.
Rational - Accept what you cannot change, change what you cannot accept. Focus on what you can do to improve your situation and meet your goals.
Her wish for the industry is that everyone can be open to learning new things, and ethics and professionalism will guide insurance representatives. “That is my hope so that it will change the image of the industry altogether and people are more open to understanding and thus everyone is more on track with their financial planning,’ she concluded.
Assets Prestige Alliance (APA) is a group of agency units of Prudential Assurance Company Singapore.
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Read more on Jaden Wang's team:
A Fulfilling and Successful Career Built on Your Own Terms - Natalie Goh
Protecting families the way she would her own - Georgina Tan
An entrepreneurial path with the right mentors- Jillian Hoe
Focus and whatever obstacles will be out of focus - Zhou Ai Hua
Have an end goal that is so strong, it will be all worth it - Priscilla Tay
Thriving with the right mentor and organisational culture - Ryo Shu, banker-turned-financial consultant
Scepticism, rejection, and disappointments. Nonetheless, persist! - Ong Zhi Wei
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