The minimum education requirement for a Financial Advisor is a bachelor's degree. When considering bachelor's degrees, you can take many routes such as finance, economics, accounting, or business. Look into different programs and choose one that will suit your goals and learning style. A big part of financial planning is marketing yourself and networking, so if you're able to take some introductory marketing courses, that's a significant advantage in this field. 

 As a Financial Advisor, you will both certifications and licenses beyond your bachelor's. Licenses are required for particular sub-disciplines of finance, such as selling insurance or investments. These licenses also vary by state, so doing some research on your home state will save you some time down the road.  

Once you finish your bachelor's, you will need some additional certification such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC). You can usually take these certifications after three years of work experience.   

Once certified, you should be prepared to keep learning throughout your career. New laws, products, and economic factors are continually coming into play, and you need to be able to advise your clients based on current financial conditions.  

Important Things to Know Before Becoming a Financial Advisor

• It is an Industry with a Traditional Point of View

Many processes and protocols within the industry have been around for a long time. If you do not think you can thrive in a more traditional, conservative workplace, financial advising may not be the right fit for you.  

• You Spend a lot of Time with People

It is a myth that finance is for anti-social, mathematically driven people. In effect, you spend a lot of time listening to people and working with your clients to find solutions to their unique needs. Financial planners need to be comfortable talking to customers daily.  

• You Should be Success-driven, not Dollar-driven

Yes, you can make good money from commissions and bonuses. However, the more critical aspect of the work is helping your clients reach their financial goals. Building relationships and working to help customers should be your metric for success, not bonuses.  

 

• There is a Sales Side

Like it or not, you are selling financial products to your clients. Even if you try and steer clear of these practices, you still need to sell yourself and your expertise.  

 

• You Will Need a Niche

. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 260,000 Financial Advisors in the United States. You should think about your network and the kind of niche in which you want to specialize. Perhaps many people in your network are young parents that might want to consider saving for their child's education, or you know a lot of people that want to engage in philanthropy and need help with making useful donations.