What does the financial advisor career path look like?

Financial advisors help people make money and make wise decisions regarding market investments. Becoming a financial advisor requires a good amount of education, expertise, and the road to becoming a certified professional takes work. However, it is worth it since financial advisors are in huge demand and get plenty of opportunities throughout their careers.

Most financial advisors require a graduate degree in economics, statistics, or a finance-related discipline. Earning a Bachelor’s degree is one of the easiest ways to land work in the field as a financial advisor and gain recognition. One of the best ways to get started is by enrolling for an online B.Com from MUJ. It can take up to 3 years to acquire this credential. In terms of FA salary expectations, a fresher can expect to earn at least ₹4,13,355 a year after completing their online degree. 

Skills required to become a financial advisor

A financial advisor requires a wide range of skills to help clients achieve their financial goals, whether insurance-related, taxes, stocks, or money management. Following is a list of critical skills required to become a financial advisor in the industry:

Financial planning

Financial planning skills include managing portfolios, investment, and trading networks, fostering trust, and knowing how to boost product sales. Clients want to work with financial relationships who know what they’re doing and expect a certain degree of emotional intelligence to ensure they’re a good fit for their requirements.

 Accounting

It is critical to examine a client’s financial history, records, and transactions and make realistic recommendations according to their current financial state. Accounting skills help such professionals in making strategic investments and a lot easier in diversifying portfolios.

Business development

Business development skills allow a financial advisor to track key metrics, analyze market performance, and stay on track with client objectives. Advisors may collaborate with real estate agents, firms, and other suppliers to make presentations and negotiate prices.

 Communication skills

Most clients need help understanding financial markets in-depth and want a simplistic overview. Financial advisors should have excellent communication skills to break down complex topics into easily digestible chunks for clients.

Organizational skills

Strong organizational skills will help these professionals work under pressure, meet investment timelines, and not cave in when the stakes are high. 

Time management

Time management skills are essential since these professionals may get a huge influx of clients after gaining popularity and collecting enough testimonials. Being able to recommend investment choices promptly and alerting clients when the market timings are ripe are important.

 Wealth management

Financial advisors need to understand how to generate passive wealth for clients and help them reach their retirement or required corpus steadily. This means knowing well about markets and being aware of where to invest in order to generate maximum profits.

Analytical thinking

Financial advisors need to have a keen eye for detail and analyze clients’ state of finances, giving them recommendations based on their goals, business requirements, and lifestyle. Being able to accommodate monetary budgets and giving advice according to the client’s financial circumstances also make up a part of this.

Also read: How to get a job in the finance sector

A guide to becoming a Financial Advisor

There are several steps you can follow to become a financial advisor. Here is what you can do:

1. Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree

Pursuing a major in Business Administration, Finance, or Accounting is a great way to kickstart your career. You can expect to take statistics, macroeconomics, and financial administration classes and learn how financial markets work by pursuing a Bachelor’s degree.

2. Apply for Internships

Applying for an internship at a reputed financial firm is an excellent way to acquire professional experience. Most students work closely with a senior financial advisor during their internship and learn about the company’s standard working processes. Besides this, students also learn how to design award-winning investment portfolios for clients and ensure steady returns on investments.

3. Register with the Securities and Exchange Boards of India (SEBI)

Registering with the Securities and Exchange Boards of India (SEBI) is absolutely essential if you plan on buying, selling, and trading stocks, bonds, insurance policies, and mutual funds. Every financial advisor must register themselves as an individual, corporate, or partnership firm before being eligible to use their license. Registering will also allow you to charge clients your required fees and be able to practice officially.

Gain essential finance knowledge and skills with an online B.Com from MUJ

The online B.Com degree from MUJ helps aspirants gain the necessary knowledge and skills to become successful financial advisors. It is a 36-month program that encompasses the fundamentals of accounting principles, import and export laws, and business development strategies.

Some of the key highlights of studying with MUJ are:

• Immersive student portal and learn at your own pace
• Flexible payment options and attractive scholarships
• Free access to exclusive Coursera content
• UGC-entitled degree from NAAC A+ accredited university

Conclusion

Now that you’re aware of FA career prospects and the potential of being a financial advisor in the industry, you can get started on your journey. A Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce is essential in today’s job market, and one must plan ahead of time when considering the cost, foundational experience, and investment needed to enroll in programs. So choose an online degree that gives you the freedom to study on your own terms and acquire the required credentials at your convenience.