If it is true that money makes the world go around, then that means financial planners should be in high demand. Finance is the bedrock of the business world as a business’s sole purpose is usually to make a profit. You may have decided to pursue a career in finance because you’re good with numbers, you’re passionate about organizing numbers or watching things increase in value. Whatever your reason, if you happen to be good at what you do, you have potential use for any for-profit business or individuals looking for someone to help them manage their finances. In order to stand out amongst the many other people pursuing financial careers in the finance world, there are a couple of key things you should know. Below are three ways to become a top financial planner in 2018.
Get the Right Education and Experience
Firstly, to become a top financial planner, you would need to be extremely conversant with everything finances. Having extensive knowledge in current financial affairs is also a must. It can be achieved by going to college, as well as taking short courses and acquiring the right training. Working in a finance department of a company, taking on an internship, applying for a corporate training program, or looking for an established mentor are also great ways to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills you’ll need. Seeing as there is a financial aspect to just about every sector, if you decide to take extra courses or a degree, you could cover multiple areas of interest unless you happen to want to specialize in one.
Get Your CFP Designation
If you are serious about becoming a financial planner, you should plan to get your CFP designation. The Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation is a professional certification mark for financial planners which is awarded by the CFP board in the US. To get this, you’ll need a minimum of three years of experience working in a financial planning business. It has been reported that more than 40% of people fail the CFP test. This rate could be attributed to its intensity and length as it is a two-day ten-hour exam. As with most other things in life, however, if you study and dedicate yourself to the cause, you should pass eventually.
Offer Value
You need more than just knowledgeable in finance to become one of the best financial planners. You should be able to combine empathy with technical financial skills as well as sales acumen and hard work. By doing this, you will truly be able to offer a valuable service to your clients that they will find difficult to find elsewhere. If, for instance, you’re advising them on payment solutions, you would want to suggest ways to make it more efficient. It could be by suggesting ways in which they could scale their global payment process such as through AP automation, for example. By offering practical solutions and producing results, you help the company or individual increase their profits. Additionally, you also make yourself more valuable to your clients.
The world of financial planning is one filled with competition. Some people feel as the entry level is too low, so you’ll need to prove to them that you have what it takes to help them plan their finances. However, you should aim to continue looking for ways you can acquire more knowledge, better meet people’s financial needs and offer something unique if you want to be the best.
