Last month, we introduced our research study exploring why new financial planners enter the profession and what career path they seek when starting out. This month, we will look at the activities that they cited as the most fulfilling, what their expectations are for promotion to a lead planner role, and their view of management’s commitment to their career development. When we asked new planners what were the most fulfilling activities they did each day, Gen Y (Millennials) cited Meeting ...
Career Satisfaction Research Survey: Part 1
Earlier this year we surveyed 665 Generation Y planners and 275 Generation Z planners to get their thoughts on their career satisfaction, and what drives that satisfaction (and from the firm’s perspective, their retention!). In this anonymous survey, we hoped to gain additional insight into what we see anecdotally each day as we interview job seekers for financial planning roles across the country about what they’re really looking for that will make them “stick” with the job and firm they’re ...
How to Reduce Your Hiring Headaches Part 2
In last month’s article, we shared some of our thoughts on the 2024 labor market and hiring outlook plus a few tips on how to avoid certain frustrations when hiring new talent for your firm. This month we will conclude our two-part series with three more tips to consider when hiring. Headache #3 - ‘I can't find anyone who is good enough for my firm’ Potential headache hack - Double-check your description to make sure your expectations aren't too high. I have firm owners all the ...
How to Reduce Your Hiring Headaches Part 1
Congratulations on making it through another year and holiday season! It’s that time of year again to start planning out and making your 2024 hires. Good news is that the job market has shifted a bit more in favor of hiring firms in terms of candidate supply and movement versus the last few years. Yay, finally! We can look to the government data released this month to see that based on The December jobs report the number of jobs added was better than expected which would seem contradictory, ...
Set Yourself Up for Success in 2024: Setting Goals
The start of the new year is the perfect time to set goals to build momentum in your firm. Creating goals as a team allows you to have all of your team members on the same page as to what should be accomplished. Setting goals can be difficult as you have to walk the line between too easy of goals that you stifle yourself, and those too out of reach that it hurts team morale. As you work towards walking that line, here are some tips for setting goals for 2024. Collaboration in Goal ...
How to Show Gratitude to your Team
When was the last time you told your team that you truly appreciate them? It may come naturally for you to do so in terms of your clients, such as sending end of year thank you letters to go out to all of your clients expressing how grateful you are for them and how you wouldn’t have the business you have if it weren’t for them, etc. What about expressing the same level of gratitude for your team members? As we approach the end of the year and reflect back on what our firms have accomplished ...
When is it Time to Promote?
For growing firms, the end of a year is a time to reflect on goals and challenges from the previous year. It can also be a great time to promote people on your team who are performing exceptionally, so they can start the new year off in the right position and mindset. This month, we will look at how to identify candidates due for promotion. Here are three signs to look for: They are already taking it to the next level. This one is straightforward and can easily be evaluated by comparing ...
SETTING REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS FOR NEW PLANNERS PART 2 OF 2
Last month we discussed what expectations are generally unreasonable for a new planner hire and this month we look at what firm owners SHOULD expect from their new planner. As I mentioned last month, not all new financial planners are equal. Nonetheless it’s reasonable to have some solid, but realistic expectations for a good candidate that you might hire. A few items to screen for include: Have a general familiarity with how financial planning firms serve clients and earn revenue – Most ...
Utilizing Finders, Minders, Grinders Effectively
Happy New Year! To continue to capitalize on the momentum you gained last year, start this year off right by making sure you have your teammates in the correct roles within your firm. Having the right person in the wrong fit role (the “wrong seat”) substantially detracts from any efficiencies and scale you have achieved. In our work with firms across the country, we see top candidates not be able to deliver top-tier results because, sometimes, they are in the wrong spot. In this month’s ...