What's it like working as a Wealth Manager?

Hi 👋

I work as a client advisor, after joining UBS in Sep 2021 as part of their grad scheme.

I work mainly at UBS' London office, since joining in September 2021 as part of their grad scheme.

⏳ Hours

The typical work hours are 9am - 5pm.

Note: Some teams in the department may work 8am - 6pm, but most people in my team are out the door at 5pm. Wealth management at UBS is quite easy-going in this sense; I know hours at firms such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs can be more like 12-hour days!

My team also allows for flexible work—I can work from home or from the office as I choose.

🗓️ Typical day-to-day tasks

The first thing I do each day is check my emails. Your inbox can build up very quickly (I have 235 unread messages still at the end of today!). It needs constant attention to make sure it doesn’t get overwhelmed.

In the morning, I may take part in a one-hour meeting with product specialists, where they explain any market updates, new financial products we can offer clients, and any new funds we can invest in.

I will then catch up with the client account manager that supports my role, just to make sure we are both on the same page regarding the tasks for the day. I will also document any write-ups of previous client meetings that are still outstanding and respond to any client emails as they come in.

If I have a client meeting that day, I will make sure to prepare well in advance. These meetings are where the team and I update the client on the current state of their finances and inform them of any material changes. Much of this meeting is about building relationships: time could be spent reassuring the client, especially with the amount of volatility in the market currently. The client should have trust in us that we are acting in their best interests, and we will continue to take a long-term view during times of market uncertainty.

I may also have a potential 1:1 meeting with my line manager during the day. This meeting helps me receive feedback on my work and keeps my manager updated on my tasks.

🪜 Expected career progression

The typical career ladder in wealth management at UBS looks as follows:

• Client Account Manager (some people like this role so much that they aim to simply become a more senior account manager)

• Junior Client Advisor

• Client Advisor

Wealth management is not as hierarchical as other financial careers, such as Investment Banking. There is a ‘flat structure’—after a certain level, you can’t tell what level of seniority each person in the department is, and everyone is treated the same.

Once you become a client account manager, your goal is to build more experience and grow your ‘book’ of clients. The more client money you are trusted to manage, the more your earning potential grows.