• A Personal Message from Catriona
• Featured Article : Do Exams Achieve Anything?
• Out Now : Revised and Updated Diploma Calculation Workbooks
• What's Around the Corner?
  Distance Learning Training Programs
• Exam Update
• We Recommend...
• Quote of the Month

The sun is beginning to shine which is good in one respect (let’s hope we have a decent Summer for the first time in 3 years) but bad in others – who wants to study when you could be doing something so much more exciting?

Exciting or not, exams are “the thing” to get at the moment. Whether it be Certificate or Diploma level exams, employers are demanding higher and higher levels of qualifications, and anybody giving advice has to reach Diploma level by 2012. If you really can’t face studying, perhaps you’re putting too much pressure on yourself. Or perhaps you just can’t find the motivation to read that boring CII study text.

Let us help you!

We have launched a survey asking YOU about what you need us to provide to ensure you pass your exams the first time. We already provide a hugely successful online training program for CF1, and we now intend to extend this by developing similar distance learning programs for other Certificate and Diploma level exams. PLEASE help us to help you by answering a few questions about what you would like us to include – and how – in our distance learning programs. The short survey can be found here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gXBCbFm5WHLUVwWDMNSiUA_3d_3d

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to shape our distance learning programs to suit YOUR needs. This survey will close on Friday 22 May or when we receive 500 responses, whichever is the earlier.

Your comments and ideas are also always welcome via email. Please do email me at catriona@brandft.co.uk

Catriona.

If you have any questions or comments, or any suggestions as to what can be included in this newsletter to help you maximise your potential and pass first time, please contact me directly at Catriona@BrandFT.co.uk  I would love to hear from you.

Do Exams Achieve Anything?

This article is relevant to anybody who wants to further their career in the financial services industry, whether you are at Certificate Level or Diploma Level.

Asking whether exams really achieve anything may seem like a strange question coming from a business that provides products and services to help individuals to pass first time. But it’s not actually that strange. We’re here to help you to pass your exams, knowing full well that most of you have no choice but to sit them. We want to help you get through this necessary evil as painlessly as possible. It’s a bit like being at school and having to do your GCSEs. You have no choice but to sit them, so it’s better to make the best of it!

The majority of you have no choice but to sit exams at both Certificate AND Diploma level. Not just because of the requirements of the Retail Distribution Review, but also because of demand from employers. We are hearing from an increasing number of individuals who haven’t sat an exam in many years, and who don’t understand why they should start now. I understand their point of view. If they’ve been working in the industry for 20-odd years then why should they suddenly have to prove themselves by sitting exams? Surely working in the “real world” for such a length of time is proof enough that they are competent?

It’s a bit like the argument about academics in universities sitting in their ivory towers commenting on business. If they haven’t actually worked in the “real world” then how on earth can they possibly comment? So how can sitting and passing exams, prove you are good at your job? It’s an argument that is extremely strong, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that most people’s “knowledge” is measured through exams. Rightly or wrongly, that’s the way the industry is going – for now.

This is great for people who are very good at exams. They study easily, absorb information like a sponge, and then sit the exam and invariably pass first time. However, that person may have ZERO “real life” experience of working in the industry. But they will now be deemed as suitably qualified to give financial advice. Compare this with another individual who has been giving financial advice for 20 years, has gained a high level of knowledge, and has done a good job.

However that person now has to get the Diploma or they will be unable to carry on as an adviser. Unfortunately, given that this individual hasn’t sat an exam for a long long time, and possibly struggles with exams and is more suited to “real world” working, then this person may struggle to get the Diploma. But who is better “qualified” for the job? An academic who has sat the exams and passed but has no industry experience, or someone who has 20 years of industry experience but happens to perform badly when sat at an exam desk with a pen in hand?

Just because an individual isn’t good at exams, doesn’t mean they don’t have the required knowledge. Here at Brand Financial Training we come across many intelligent, experienced people who ‘freeze’ on exam day. Their mind goes blank, and they fail.

We can argue for a lifetime about how unfair exams are. They allow those who are good at exams to pass, and those that may be very knowledgeable but lousy at exams to fail.

“It’s not fair”. True. It’s not. But unfortunately that’s the way it is, and there seems to be little sign of this changing. The unfairness of exams has been going on for a long, long time. We can carry on shouting “it’s not fair”, or we can choose to grin and bear it whilst pushing for change. Let’s not cut off our nose to spite our face.

For those of you who need to achieve the Diploma by 2012, you won’t need us to tell you that time is tight. And for those of you who have been given a deadline for certain exams by your employer, in these uncertain times it would probably be best not to argue! Our aim here at Brand Financial Training is to help EVERY type of individual to pass their exams first time. We are constantly working on a range of products and services that will enable different types of people to get through their exams whether you are an exam ‘wonder-kid’ or an exam ‘disaster’. Don’t despair, we CAN help you and we CAN get you through your exams.

Firstly, take a look at our website www.brandft.co.uk to find out how we can help you to pass first time. Secondly, email us if you have any questions or concerns. We are here to help you so make sure you use us as much as you need.

“Maximise Your Potential” is a fre-e monthly newsletter from Brand Financial Training.  It is for individuals studying for the CII's Certificate and Diploma level exams, in financial services and general insurance, who want to be kept up-to-date and discover how to get motivated and pass first time.

Sign up now for your FREE copy at www.BrandFT.co.uk

Calculation Workbooks – J01, J04, J05, J06

We launched our calculation workbooks for J01, J04, J05 and J06 in time for the April exam sitting. Whilst the takeup was fantastic, we did receive some very useful and important feedback with regards content. We ALWAYS listen to our customers, and act on feedback where appropriate. As a result, we have revised and updated the J01 and J06 workbooks (available now), and the J04 and J05 workbooks are being revised and updated as we write this (available mid-May).

For those of you that have already purchased one (or more!) you will receive an email in your inbox offering to give you the revised and updated version completely free of charge as soon as it is ready. For any new purchases, you can be sure that you will receive the revised and updated versions in time for the July exam sitting.

You can find out more and view a demo video of each by visiting the following links:

For J01 : http://www.brandft.co.uk/df/j01calcwkbk.asp
For J04 : http://www.brandft.co.uk/df/j04calcwkbk.asp
For J05 : http://www.brandft.co.uk/df/j05calcwkbk.asp
For J06 : http://www.brandft.co.uk/df/j06calcwkbk.asp

Distance Learning Training Programs – Tell Us What You Want

As mentioned in Catriona’s personal message above, we have launched a survey asking YOU about what you need us to provide in terms of distance learning to ensure you pass your exams first time. We already provide a hugely successful online training program for CF1, and we now intend to extend this by developing similar programs for other Certificate and Diploma level exams. PLEASE help us to help you by answering a few questions about what you want from our distance learning programs:

Click here to fill out our survey

As well as helping with the exam content, we will also be looking at providing help with general study and revision techniques including mindmapping and memory. Some questions are included on this in the survey. This survey will close on Friday 22 May or when we receive 500 responses, whichever is the earlier. By taking the time to respond, you will ensure you get access to a distance learning program that meets YOUR requirements which can only help you to pass first time. Please go there now

Click here to fill out our survey

Audio Classes – CF1, CF2, CF3, CF4, CF5, CF6

Many of you have been chasing us on our new audio classes. We’ve had a few hiccups in development which has meant some delays. We apologise for this. As a result, we will not wait until they are all ready before launching them. Instead, we will release each set of CF audio classes as soon as we can. CF3 will be first with the others following shortly after. You will receive an email when they are available.