Career change - Financial advisor - what course? Help needed

adamshaw

Hi people

Looking for a bit of help. Currently i am a lecturer in business and finance and an assessor. Quals include : BA (business and finance), Cert ed, A1 asessor and V1 verfier awards.

I am currently looking into becoming a financial advisor as a carewer change. What is this industry like? is it worth changing? im fed up with education.

Also what are the best quals to take? i kno it used to be the FPC. Although i have been looking through IFS and the major cert now seems to be the DipFA. Will this be sufficent to find me employment in the real world? Whats the best course to do? What realisitic salaries will i be looking at?

Many Thanks
Adam

Annisele

You might get more responses if you post this on the savings and investments board. I know that sounds odd - this board is after all the one about employment - but there are lots of financial advisers over there.

My own view is that this is a tough time to be trying to enter the industry. The traditional path to being an IFA was to work for a bank for a bit, get the training, then set up on your own. However, the RDR means that the banks have pretty much given up on giving advice, lots of financial advisers have been made redundant, and you'd be competing against some very experienced people.

payless

Hi adam

strange .. I'm moving in the opposite direction ( even same subjects)

Do you have a degree ( assume definately yes if in HE ) this gives some exemptions with CII if you already had the old FPC. Other than that the new Dip (CII or IFS) are the most liekly routes.

Getting a position is likely to be difficult if you don't have sales experience - and even then most likely commission only.