are you someone with IFA qualifications.

are you looking for partnership where the leads will be provided to you?
What does this job as an IFA do?

The initial role is to check off lender and borrower comprehension of what they are investing or borrowing.

An IFA reviews an individual's circumstances, understands their financial and personal objectives, identifies shortfalls in cover, identifies gaps in where they are now and where they want to be in the future, and puts a plan in place to close the gap or remove it altogether. Most IFAs keep in contact with their client revisiting them to ensure their finances are still on track or to establish if they have new goals which need to be addressed.

What sorts of things get discussed?
Everyone is different but most IFAs will look at all the need areas - money in retirement, investing for the future, protection (homes, people, income), financing property etc. They also take into account issues such as paying for university fees, long term care costs, beating the tax man So they need to know all about pensions, mortgages, investments funds, investment products, income protection, critical illness cover, life cover, IHT planning, equity release, home reversions, offshore, tax exempt products and the list goes on.

And that's just if they're talking to an individual. If their service encompasses providing financial advice to corporates then there's key man insurance, premises insurance, retirement planning, loans etc too.

as an IFA you should have a lot to talk about!

What's great about this job
Job satisfaction is huge. IFAs make a real difference to the financial wellbeing of their clients and create long standing friendships along the way. They know their clients financial situation and their aspirations so it's hard not to be interested in their lives.

IFAs are financial gurus and people go to them for advice. It's a position of responsibility as they shape financial futures. Their recommendations can change people's lives.

Most IFAs run their own business and therefore benefit from being able to manage their own time and be their own boss. in this regard it will be the same .

Effort, expertise, qualifications, personality and knowledge determine the success of their business.

They target the people they want to do business with and can select those they have something in common with e.g. a particular area, profession, interest. They choose the service they want to offer. Many IFAs start out as generalists, i.e. they know a lot about how to meet all financial needs.

Some realise they have a flair for a particular subject e.g. pensions, tax and go on to become specialist experts by gaining the right qualifications and building their experience and a reputation for their ability.

Qualifications you will be required to have

Qualifications are becoming more and more important for financial advisers. The benchmark qualification is the Certificate in Financial Planning or equivalent. But to evidence professional commitment, higher level exams should be gained. There are currently 38 advanced qualifications offered by 8 examination awarding bodies. At the top of the pile in status terms is a Chartered Financial Planner. Starting from scratch it may take three to four years to attain Chartered status but existing qualifications may count.

IFA Promotion's 'Guide to IFA qualifications' contains a full list of the current IFA advanced exams - found at www.unbiased.co.uk/find-an-ifa/guides.

What skills do I need you to have?

A successful IFA has a broad skill set. Here are just a few qualities to think about:

The technical ability to understand the majority of a large range of financial products available and their features, benefits, technical details and usage rules.
Great communication skills - being able to convey complex information in simple terms is fundamental.
Good listening skills - to hear what clients are saying and also read between the lines to identify any future issues.
People skills - IFAs actively manage all their client relationships, building trust and respect. They are also at ease networking as this is a great way to develop business contacts.
Desire to learn - IFAs need to update their product and market knowledge and be up to date with regulation, taxation and legislation that affects their business on an on-going basis - there is constant change to keep pace with
Good organisation and planning - both personally and for their clients.
Good problem solvers - identify potential pitfalls and define practical solutions.

If you are interested send your email to me Andrew at andrew@hartinvestments.com

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