So you're looking for careers in financial planning? A career in this highly competitive field can be one of the most satisfying and rewarding careers you will ever have.
Of course, careers in financial planning are very competitive, and does require some good marketing skills to acquire clients. Here is a list of the duties this job entails, so you can make an informed decision about whether or not this might be the career choice for you.
Quits simply, you will help your clients achieve their financial goals, whatever they may be. Whether it is planning for retirement, getting wealthy, escaping the rat race, paying for college, etc, you will help them plan and map out a course to achieve those goals.
As you might guess, you will need a lot of knowledge into areas of investment such as stocks, mutual funds, bonds, etc, vehicles to help your clients achieve their financial goals. Of course, the most important thing you need in financial planning careers, besides all this, is credibility. Quite simply, if you aren't walking the walk, then you can't talk the talk.
For instance, if you are advising a client to invest in a stock you would never even consider for yourself, your credibility is shot. Obviously, in order to achieve this, you need to be on solid financial ground yourself.
Nobody will take advice from a financial planner whose finances are a mess themselves. Many of the more knowledgeable clients will often times ask you what stocks you are currently investing in, or what kind of shape you are currently in financially to validate that you are the right person for the job. If you on shaky financially ground yourself, they will simply look elsewhere.
Most of all, you have to care about your clients and want to see them realize their financial goals. This is the number one factor of this job. If you aren't good at working with others, then this definitely isn't the career for you.
As a financial planner, you can work either for somebody else or have your own company. Many financial planners choose to become sole proprietors because of the freedom it offers; quite simply, this way you can set your own hours, and the sky is the limit as far as income. If you opt to work for somebody else, you will likely be working on a salary basis and are more limited in how much you can earn.
I hope this information has helped you to determine whether or not a career in financial planning is right for you. If this sounds of interest to you, then by all means check it out. If you want to work for a larger corporation, then a degree in finance will probably be necessary; obviously if you become a sole proprietor, this won't be as important.
The bottom line: if you enjoy helping others, and in one of the most important areas of their life, then careers in financial planning may be right up your alley. There is a lot of opportunity in the financial planning field today. This is one of the most rewarding careers in existence, because it empowers you to help others realize their financial (and ultimately life) dreams.
