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For many firm owners, the first hire is a milestone that signals real growth, the moment your firm isn’t reliant on you to do everything. It’s also one of the riskiest inflection points in your entrepreneurial journey. The right first employee can multiply your impact, deepen client relationships, and free you to focus on business development. The wrong one can add cost, complexity, and frustration. Here’s how owners can approach this critical step with clarity and confidence. 1. ...
Hiring the right talent is only part of the equation for a successful, productive long-term hire. In many cases, new employees are hired months before their actual start date due to notice periods, relocation, waiting on incentive compensation payouts, or personal timing. This gap between when the job offer is accepted, and when the new team member actually starts, presents both challenges and opportunities. Without a thoughtful approach, momentum can be lost and enthusiasm may fade after ...
To stay ahead, a typical rule of thumb for growing firms (also depends on how fast growth rate is) is to start the hiring process when they reach 80% capacity, and firms that are not growing need to start the hiring process when they reach 100% of capacity. Hiring the right people and at the right time can catapult your firm’s growth like nothing else. The historical average for recruiting a new employee is about 90 days; it could be quicker or take much longer, but generally, you should ...
You have all seen the headlines that highlight the future projected shortage of financial advisors. Some more closely align with other channels, mostly the sales side of the profession and are commissioned and released to gain clicks for advertising purposes, but not all should be ignored. The firms that will continue to grow and win market share have a deliberate talent pipeline program. Here are some dos and don’ts for your firm when setting out to plan and build your talent ...
When a job posting goes live and days or weeks pass without a qualified application, it’s more than just frustrating—it’s a red flag. The talent is out there and people are looking to enter the profession, but if your job post isn't attracting applicants, it may be time to reassess your strategy. Here are five actionable steps employers can take to boost response and attract the right candidates. 1. Evaluate the Job Description The first step is to take a hard look at the job post itself. ...
As the financial planning profession grows and evolves, some firm owners are increasingly recognizing the value of bringing in interns. A well-structured internship program not only provides meaningful experience for aspiring planners but also helps firm owners build a pipeline of future talent, delegate meaningful work to save themselves time and become more efficient, and contribute to the profession's long-term strength. However, an effective internship doesn’t happen by accident—it ...
Since almost all of Generation Z (born roughly between 1995 and 2010), the generation after Millenials, are graduating from high school and college and will soon be starting work in your firms, or may be working in your firm already, we thought it would be helpful to share some observations of this generation, and how you can set them up for success while maximizing productivity in your advisory firm. Prioritize Clear Communication and Feedback Gen Z workers value direct, honest communication. ...
In many organizations, there’s often that one “rockstar” employee: the high performer who delivers exceptional results, exceeds targets, and often becomes the go-to person in high-stakes situations. But what happens when that rockstar comes with, or develops a toxic attitude? They may be brilliant, but they’re disruptive, difficult to work with, or create tension within the team. Managing a toxic rockstar is one of the toughest challenges a leader can face — but it’s one that must be handled ...
Generic job recruiting sites, such as ZipRecruiter, Indeed, and LinkedIn, can be a source of talent given their sheer volume and reach… but they are not your talent panacea as an advisory firm, because they may require you to spend a lot of time separating the wheat from (a lot of) the chaff. Any time I talk to an advisory firm owner about recruiting, the question I am always asked is ‘where can we find the best candidates?’ Firms can certainly get “lucky” when posting on generic job sites ...
When recruiting you need to strive to offer the candidate the best experience possible, even if they are not selected for a role at your firm. The recruitment process is a two-way street. Just as employers evaluate candidates to find the best fit for their organization, candidates evaluate employers to determine if the role aligns with their goals and values. One of the most debated aspects of this process is whether employers should provide feedback to candidates who are not selected. While ...
Job seekers will sometimes say anything to get a job, which is why the interview process is a very important part of the overall candidate selection process. Conducting effective interviews is essential for making informed hiring decisions and ensuring a positive candidate experience. To achieve this, employers and interviewers must follow best practices that focus on preparation, structure, and consistency. Follow these tips, especially if you don't interview often, to help conduct an ...
If you do not have some type of virtual work/work-from-home policy, you are at a disadvantage when recruiting for new talent today. In practice, advisory firms that have ‘always’ run in-person do often struggle to convert to a fully remote working environment, but it isn’t necessarily a need to allow 100% virtual work (unless the firm wants to); allowing even just some work-from-home (e.g., 2 out of 5 days per week) can still have positive impact for the team, while still largely conforming to ...
