How have your careers evolved over the years?

Ella: I joined LCP as a Secretary in 2007, before moving to Business Development (BD) and then into Pensions Admin. My path has been quite different from others, but each role has leveraged the skills I’ve developed along the way and allowed me to explore different areas of the business.

Rebecca: I started my career as an Anaesthetist in the NHS. During my exams, I realised how much I loved maths and I took the decision to leave and retrain as an Actuary. I joined LCP in 2017 and after qualifying in 2020, I moved into the newly formed Health Analytics team. Returning to health wasn’t my initial plan, but it has been great to combine my health background with my actuarial skills.

What does an agile mindset mean to you in terms of career development?

Rebecca: An agile mindset to me is about saying yes to opportunities to gain a wide range of experiences. I’ve found that asking questions and putting myself forward for projects has led to things happening naturally. It’s important to have an idea of what you enjoy and where your skills lie, but remain open to how that could evolve.

Ella: I’d agree with that. When I first joined LCP, I made a conscious effort to say yes to everything, which ultimately helped me grow into different roles. It’s about seeing potential in seemingly small opportunities, and I think if you’re known as someone who’s proactive and wants to get involved then I think more opportunities come your way.

What has been the most challenging and rewarding aspect of changing roles?

Rebecca: Joining a team as a Consultant or Senior Consultant, without extensive experience can feel daunting, but it’s important to recognise that you bring unique perspectives and experiences. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in that regard was a steep learning curve for me and a real mindset adjustment. But the most rewarding aspect is that I feel like I’ve found my niche now. I’m starting to develop areas of interest in my field and I feel valued by my team.

Ella: Building technical knowledge was a gap and a real challenge for me. My priority was to complete the PMI Advanced Diploma as quickly as possible, so I could get up to speed. But the most rewarding part is the variety of work. It keeps things interesting and taking an unusual career path means I’m involved in a variety of projects and can apply a wide range of skills.

Do you think an agile approach to careers will become more common than traditional career ladders?

Ella: Definitely! Encouraging agility within roles and career development is key to building a successful business, and LCP has always been incredibly supportive whenever I’ve shown an interest in something new. I don’t think you can be too rigid when it comes to your professional and career development.

Rebecca: I agree, especially with technology advancements. Being open to change and how quickly change happens is really important.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt as you’ve moved roles?

Rebecca: That every experience has value and no time is wasted. Each career move has built my skills further. My actuarial background for example has been really beneficial in Health Analytics.

Ella: Gaining confidence has been a big lesson. As Rebecca touched on, it’s easy to feel imposter syndrome when you haven’t followed the same path as everyone else, but different perspectives and experiences are valuable. It took me a while to appreciate that my unique background is an asset.

What is the best advice you’ve received that helped shape your career?

Rebecca: “Just go for it!” I’ve always been open with others around me whenever I’ve thought about exploring different opportunities and LCP has always encouraged me to try new things and created a safe space to do so.

Ella: Not so much advice, but I’ve found that people at LCP really champion you. They recognise your potential and sometimes they even come up with ideas for how you can progress that you hadn’t thought about! Again, it’s all about being open to opportunities.

Rebecca: I totally agree - it was actually a Pensions Actuarial Partner who suggested I get in touch with the Health team, and everything fell into place from there.

How can we support one another to be more adaptable and open to opportunities?

Ella: We are a firm full of intelligent, kind, and supportive people, which has created an open, innovative culture without rigid hierarchies or red tape. We need to continue that focus, especially as we continue to grow. It’s also important that we stay connected with other departments and what’s happening across the firm, as you never know when or where opportunities may present themselves.

Rebecca: Being open and approachable is key, so team members feel comfortable discussing their ideas. Understanding people’s goals and strengths supports their development. I’d echo Ella’s comment about continuing to learn about what’s happening across the firm. There are no barriers to opportunities at LCP, and it’s important to continue learning about other departments to foster new ideas and opportunities.

👉 Did you miss the panel discussion? Catch up on LCP Learn here.