The road to become a financial planner is not always straightforward. Many financial advisers stumbled into the job as a second or even a third profession after working in other financial roles. If you want to be a financial planner, there are actions you can do to boost your chances of succeeding. Earning the relevant degree, obtaining the necessary experience in financial advisor job, and honing certain critical abilities will help you position yourself effectively for a career in this sector.

A bachelor’s degree is often necessary for financial advisers, while the degree does not have to be in a specific area or field of study. Finance, business, economics, statistics, and other related subjects all have a strong correlation with the work of a financial adviser. Tax, estate planning, investment, and risk management courses might also be beneficial to students on this route.

Depending on your exact financial advisor job ambitions, you may also need to obtain specific licences to meet the demands of certain clients, such as buying and selling stocks, bonds, and insurance policies. Earning a qualification such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), or Personal Financial Specialist might also be beneficial (PFS). Each of these extra licences and certificates has its own set of criteria.

After completing your undergraduate and working in an entry-level position, you may discover that you need to pursue a graduate degree in order to grow in your profession. Depending on your exact professional objectives, this might entail earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a Master of Science in Business Analytics, Finance, Taxation, or a comparable discipline.