Financial Advisor
Day-to-day tasks
- talk to clients about their finances and plans
- research financial products and explain them simply and clearly
- negotiate with providers of financial products
- produce financial reports
- update clients about their investments
- meet performance and sales targets
- keep up to date with new products and law changes
Skills & Knowledge
- customer service skills for finding out customer needs
- knowledge of economics and accounting for understanding financial markets and products
- maths knowledge for creating financial plans
- the ability to sell products and services
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- business management skills for negotiating product rates
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Industry Qualifications
You could start as a financial services administrator or customer services adviser in a bank and work your way up.
To do this, you'll need to study for a level 4 qualification in financial advice recognised by the Financial Conduct Authority.
These include:
- Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning from the Chartered Insurance Institute
- Diploma for Financial Advisers from the London Institute of Banking and Finance
- Investment Advice Diploma from the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment