Chartered – who cares anyway?

When I was awarded my Chartered designation, a long time ago now, how proud was I. And it has been important to me ever since in so many ways. In fact to the point where I have been employed within a Chartered body for almost the last 10 years.

But what is the big deal about being Chartered, why all the fuss? 

I think there are two ways to answer these questions.

Firstly, from my personal perspective, there is a real sense of achievement, being proud to be among the relatively few individuals who can attest to being a ‘professional’, by making a promise to yourself, to your employer and to your customers that you will ‘do the right thing’ . That you will behave well by being respectful, ethical and trustworthy and you will remain knowledgeable in your chosen field. These two ingredients, ethics and knowledge are the cornerstones of being Chartered.

But that’s all very well and probably, what you would expect me to say. But let’s also be honest. It is hard work, often done outside working hours, studying late at night or over the weekend, although many firms offer support to their employees whether financially, time to study or training or all three. If you are lucky enough to access this support it’s worth a lot. Even if you can’t access any employer support, try not to dismiss Chartered because of cost or time constraints. Whether embarking on your professional career as a graduate, an apprentice, second career or any other starting point, Chartered can be a springboard to success.

Ok, I admit, it’s not a walk in the park, but the rewards can be well worth it. Again some firms offer salary increases or bonuses for achieving Chartered status. When applying for job roles, being Chartered can help you to stand out and act as a proxy for being a candidate who is really committed, engaged and connected.

But as I said, there are two ways to answer my  ‘who cares?’ questions.

The other viewpoint of course, is that of your customers, clients or ‘stakeholders’ (to use the management speak). Again Chartered is a code signifying that this is someone who knows what they are doing, what they are talking about within their field of expertise, someone who will aim to ‘do the right thing’, treat them fairly, respectfully and honestly. A kite mark signifying trust if you like. Oh and by the way, if they don’t, there is a Code of Conduct sitting behind them which can hold them to account!

That designation after your name – Chartered – stands out above all others. In fact in the context of your career it need be the only one relevant!

So being Chartered – who cares anyway? Well you do, your employer does and your customers definitely do and by the way, in some cases and increasingly so, the regulator does!

My advice would be, if you are serious about your professional career, do your best to get on the journey to Chartered and do it as early as possible, before the ‘day job’ or your home life eats up your time. The cost/benefit is clear, so in the end it’s a question of priorities.

Make Chartered one of yours, find out more here.

John Bissell, Chartered Insurance Practitioner