FP CAREER RESOURCES — JOB SEARCH

Updated July 14, 2024

I. FINANCIAL PLANNING JOB BOARDS

If you're looking for entry-level positions doing comprehensive financial planning instead of selling products (aka "fee-only"), search for job titles like "associate financial advisor," "associate financial planner," and "paraplanner." Look for smaller firms under 100 employees, as most larger companies are commercial banks, investment banks, broker-dealers, or wirehouses that mainly sell products for commission or fees (aka "fee-based"). Or they are larger companies like insurance companies that mainly sell life insurance and annuities for commissions (also "fee-based"). If you see 3+ job posts from the same company, that's probably a larger company, as it's unlikely that a small firm has more than 1 or 2 job openings at a time. You may want to skip jobs that mention "unlimited income potential" because that implies they're all commissions-based. You might also skip jobs that list income ranges where the upper range is 2x or 3x the starting salary (like "$50,000 to $150,000 a year") because salaried jobs tend to be fee-only and usually have much smaller salary ranges (like "$50,000 to $60,000 a year"). Remember to look at the whole compensation package, not just the salary, because  firms that really care about their employees may reimburse CFP® exam prep, have generous vacation policies, 401(k) with a match, and other paid benefits, (Check out this great overview from New Planner Recruiting's "Quick Guide To Understanding Main Financial Planner Career Entry Points")

1. LinkedIn Jobs — One of the larger job boards where you can find financial planning positions across the country.

2. CFP Board Career Center — Official career site for the CFP Board — Virtual events: Career fairs and diversity summits where you can find financial planning jobs — Get a free basic resume review from TopResume when you post your resume on the job board

3. Financial Planning Association Job Board — Search for financial planning positions across the country

4. National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) Job Board — Search for employment and internship opportunities

5. New Planner Recruiting — Search specifically for entry-level financial planning positions

6. Simply Paraplanner — Search for virtual planner and paraplanner positions for free — With a Paraplanner Academy (subscription required) for financial planning software training, mastermind groups, and continuing education

   • "#FASuccess Ep 212: The Professional Paraplanner As (Virtual) Support And A Career Path Unto Itself, With Alex Hopkin"

7. Financial Planner Recruiting — "Meet  Ali Staton, who is on a mission to boost the financial planning industry by connecting top-notch talent with boutique firms. As a top financial advisor recruiter, she understands the unique needs of independent boutique wealth management firms."

8. POSAO — "#1 resource for job opportunities within Independent Wealth Management, Financial Planning, Investment Management"

9. Schwab RIAConnect Talent Advantage™ — "If you are interested in a career in the RIA industry, you're in the right place. RIAConnect Talent Advantage is a professional networking platform that helps connect you with RIA firms and job opportunities that align with your career goals. Get started today by creating your profile."

10. XY Planning Network VIP Facebook group — A supportive financial planning community — Free to  join for anyone (just request access) — Job postings are allowed on Mondays (it's where I found my associate advisor position)

    • Then join the Seeking Employment/Employee(s) Facebook Messenger chat​

11. InvestmentNews.com RIA Data Center — "Use this interactive rankings tool to find key information on fee-only registered investment advisory firms." — If you're looking for a position at a fee-only firm, these large firms will likely have more job openings than smaller fee-only firms. Go directly to the firm websites to search for your ideal position. While most roles at larger firms have very specialized responsibilities (instead of doing comprehensive financial planning), it can be a way to get your foot in the door.

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II. OTHER JOB SEARCH RESOURCES

1. Networking (see list of resources here) — Some positions aren't posted on traditional job boards. Some firms may not even know they need to hire someone like you until they meet you, and you're not competing against the dozens (or hundreds) of other applicants. Ask for informational interviews with folks in the industry (without asking for a job), and you may be amazed at what happens. I know several folks who found their first job in financial planning through networking.

2. "How to Choose a Financial Planning Firm as a CFP® Professional" — "Looking for a new job may always feel a bit intimidating, but it can be especially overwhelming when you’re just starting your career as a financial planner. You want to choose an employer that will give you the job satisfaction and work/life balance you’re looking for. But you also want to make sure your new managers are going to support your unique approach to financial planning."

3. Compounding Careers: Finding Your Fit as a New Financial Planner — I had the opportunity to help Matt Fizell, CFP® and Jared Machen, CFP® with their course, Compounding Careers. I was super excited because I knew this was something that would have helped me on my journey as a Financial Planner. Instead of taking the heavily-traveled path of selling products for commissions or starting as a client service associate, this course will show you a shortcut to your dream job in Financial Planning at your ideal firm.

4. Simplicity Operations Job Resources — "Looking for a Job? Find new opportunities in the finance industry with these job boards and networks."​​

5. BLX Internship — "The Internship Program for Aspiring Black and Latinx Financial Planners. Our mission is to make the demographics of the financial planning profession more representative of the population of our country."

6. "Résumé Writing for Career Changers" 2022 YouTube recording from the UCLA Alumni Association — If you are considering an industry change, this webinar with career coach Kimberly Cook will help you with: The true purpose of a résumé, how the hiring process works, strategies to create a compelling résumé — (Also see previous 2021 webinar)