As a Financial Adviser, you’ll be providing clients with advice on financial matters, making recommendations on the best ways to utilise their money. Financial Adviser jobs involve advising clients on products and services available; ensuring they are aware of, and understand, those that best meet their needs; and then securing a sale.

Different jobs often require specialisation in particular products, depending on their clients, e.g. selling employee pension schemes to companies, or offering mortgage, pension or investment advice to private clients. Some Financial Adviser jobs require generalists, who can offer advice to clients in all of these areas, plus savings plans and insurance.
Most jobs offer regular office hours, although flexibility is required as some clients may require evening and weekend meetings and it is common to work from home or be self-employed.

Skills and Interests

To be a good Financial Adviser, you need:

• Strong communication and listening skills
• The ability to explain complex information simply and clearly
• The ability to network and establish relationships with clients
• Persuasiveness, determination and tenacity
• The ability to work in a team
• Self-motivation and organisation
• High levels of numeracy
• A target-driven mindset
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• An understanding of the need for client confidentiality
• Willingness to adhere to strict codes of professional conduct

Entry

Jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, however evidence of study of the subjects of accountancy; finance; business studies/administration/management; financial services; risk management may improve your chances.
Personality and people skills can be more important than qualifications and individual employers generally set their own entry standards for their Financial Adviser jobs, with not all requiring a higher education qualification.
Evidence of commercial awareness acquired through a relevant vacation, longer-term placement or related opportunity is an advantage.

Training

Many begin as tied advisers, gaining basic training in a range of financial products. Employers usually provide this training in-house through a combination of formal tuition and on-the-job training.

In the early stages, you will usually observe an experienced Financial Adviser, doing some of the research and administration associated with their work, and then you will gradually begin to deal directly with clients yourself, under supervision. As you become more experienced, you will acquire your own list of clients.

When starting out, trainees are required to pass the Certificate in Financial Planning (CFP), which is required by the Financial services Authority (FSA). This is likely to take between two and three years and you must pass these examinations in order to become a fully qualified Financial Adviser.

Most employers provide training and pay for examinations, but trainees are usually expected to study outside working hours, and many courses offer distance learning opportunities. After you become a qualified Financial Adviser, regular supervision ensures that you maintain levels of competence and compliance with regulations.

Opportunities

Financial Adviser jobs can be based anywhere in the UK, although the opportunities are mostly centred on the major cities and the suburbs. Although tied Financial Adviser jobs may be on the payroll of a bank or insurance company, a significant proportion of Financial Advisers are self-employed.

As you gain more experience, you may move on to advising on other financial products, which will require you to obtain further qualifications. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is currently reviewing the large number of qualifications issued by the approved institutes.

Having a financial plan is essential. It can help you eliminate your debt, save for the things you truly want and prepare for a comfortable retirement. If you are tired of living from paycheck to paycheck, perhaps it is time to start following a balanced financial plan.

There are three main aspects to financial planning: Budgeting and saving; investing; and retirement and estate planning. You must work on all three in order to have a balanced financial picture.

There is no way around it. No matter how much you dislike the idea, budgeting is one of the main requirements of successfully managing your finances. It isn’t the negative task that many people assume it to be. It isn’t a financial diet and it isn’t something that deprives you of the things you want.

Budgeting simply helps you to see how and where you spend your money. It also can provide you with a guideline on how to spend your money in order to get the things you really want. It can help you to plan your debt elimination and start saving for the future.

When you take the steps to budget, you are laying out the plan for your financial future. You are deciding what you need to save for and how you will do it. With a budget in place you can start a savings plan that will help you to meet your long-term financial goals.

With a budget, you are able to recognize the areas in which you can save money. You have the chance to improve your financial situation month by month.

Too many people assume that investing is something that is out of their reach. However, investing is a vital in preparing for your future. All you have to do is educate yourself and get started. You don’t have to have a lot of money to invest. The key is to start investing and let your money grow over time.

Investing is one of the best ways to prepare for your retirement. If you want to retire comfortably, it is never too early to begin planning. You probably want to enjoy your life during retirement. Without wise planning, you could spend most of your golden years working. Social Security may not be there when you reach retirement age. If it is, it probably won’t be enough to maintain your current lifestyle.

With proper planning, retirement can be something to look forward to. Along with planning for retirement and getting your estate in order, you need to have proper insurance to cover any emergencies that could pop up. Good health insurance and generous life insurance should be top priorities. You should also have property insurance that covers all hazards in your area. If you can afford it, disability insurance is always a good idea.

You can change the way you are living. You can create a financial peace for your family. All it takes is the proper financial planning. Just start with one step today. You will find that it won’t be long until you have everything together.