In a world where switching to or starting a new career is somewhat tasking, becoming a financial advisor may be less tasking with a Financial Advisor Training Program. The job description for a financial advisor is quite broad; the responsibility ranges from managing investments to purchasing stocks and funds. As long as its money related, it is within the scope of a financial advisor to manage. In essence, a financial advisor can help clients or corporate bodies plan both their short-term or long-term financial goals.
Just like every other profession around, becoming a financial advisor also requires quite a several things. In fact, in some countries, to be a qualified financial advisor, such must have undergone specific professional training and register with a regulatory body. This suggests the need for the Financial Advisor Training Program.
The Financial Advisor Training Program is a training program that confers on individuals who wish to become professional financial advisors the technical know-how of handling financial issues. Such training programs can help the trainee to get up to speed in their career. With the training program, they will learn how to help people with their investments, retirements, tax planning, and sell financial products, such as life insurance and annuities.
What do I need to know about the Financial Advisor Training Program, you asked.
To qualify for the financial advisor training program, you need to meet certain requirements. But then you must choose between completing your undergraduate or graduate degree and running both programs simultaneously. If the decision is to simultaneously run the two programs, enrolling in a university or college will be a good choice. Therefore, you should study a course that tilt towards financial management.
On the other hand, if you decide to first earn either a graduate or undergraduate degree before undergoing the training, there are good options to opt for without even going financially bankrupt. Financial institutions such as banks, investment firms, and insurance companies offer extensive in-house financial advisor training programs for interested individuals, corporate bodies, and firms. The training program affords the trainee the privilege of starting up their own financial advising office. Some institutions offering the training program allow and enforce that their trainee affiliate with them while some institutions do not. This is one reason it is essential to find out about the company or institution offering the training program to be informed about their requirements.
What about the duration, you asked.
The duration of the training program varies from one company to the other, depending on the content and outline of the course. However, in most cases, it does not extend beyond thirty weeks and cannot be less than ten weeks of intensive training except you are enrolling into a traditional college or university where you may be spending three to seven years.
Beyond being trained, one thing that is considered essential in financial advising is the CFP credential, that is, Certified Financial Planner. While a certificate in education will add to a teacher’s portfolio, having the CFP credential will boost a financial advisor’s CV. Interestingly, getting the credential still requires that one must have undergone a training program or, better still, completed a first degree where there are completed courses touching financial planning and management such as commerce, accounting, economics, statistics, to mention but a few. The training program is expected to build on the trainee, strong quantitative and problem-solving, verbal, and sales skills.
Asides from the CFP credential, the Financial Advisor Training Program provides the opportunity of sitting for the series seven exams which is usually offered by FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). This is the regulatory body that sees to registering of professional financial advisors. By implication, except the series seven exam is passed, your dream of becoming a Financial Advisor may be aborted.
Becoming a professional financial advisor is a beautiful career to build but it may be not easy to fulfill without an extensive training program.
