Searching for a job can be stressful and emotionally, physically, and mentally draining. Landing a good fit advisor track role at a top-tier financial planning firm requires job seekers to put maximum effort into the application and interview process. For many job openings in the financial planning profession, several qualified candidates are vying for only one opportunity, which means a qualified candidate can do everything “right” and still not receive the job offer they were expecting.. How should job seekers handle being rejected by a firm?

•  Express gratitude – The first thing a job seeker should do when they find out they will not be receiving an offer is to express gratitude. While it’s true job seekers invest a great deal of time and effort into the job search, hiring firms do as well. The firm owners we work with often agonize for days or weeks over hiring decisions and take great interest in the well-being of the people they interview. Job seekers should take care to share their appreciation with firm owners and communicate to the firm owner something they learned during the process.

•   Ask for feedback – As financial planners we should all seek constant improvement, and this includes improving interview skills. It’s important to ask for constructive feedback from the firm owner. What is it that the job seeker was missing and how can he or she become a more competitive candidate during the next interview process? Is there additional education that needs to be pursued? Or a skill that needs to be developed? Answers to common interview questions that need to be refined? Were their compensation expectations out of line? Answers to these questions can be invaluable for job seekers. 

•   Network! – The financial planning profession is a tight knit group and it’s important that job seekers build and leverage their relationships. If a job offer isn’t extended, job seekers should ask the firm owner if anyone in their network is hiring or plans to in the near future. Not only does it demonstrate initiative, but it may also land the job seeker the perfect fit with another firm that might not have a job posting 

•   Leave a lasting impression – While it’s easy to be bitter and resentful when things don’t go according to plan, leaving a positive impression in the eyes of a hiring firm can pay big dividends in the future. Here at New Planner Recruiting, we’ve worked with multiple candidates who weren’t hired by a firm initially but were the perfect fit for the firm months or years later. Job seekers should be certain that they complete every interview process in a manner that makes them positively memorable. 

We hope these were helpful. Remember, it is a small world so make sure you manage rejection, which is ultimately inevitable, with class, professionalism, and integrity.

If you are entering the financial planning profession or seeking the perfect fit with a top tier financial planning firm, submit your resume here or peruse our job board. We are here to help you get into your dream job!