Don’t be fooled – what does being a financial adviser really mean?

In all honesty, no one really seems to know what financial advisers do. It's a profession that flies under the radar - partly because of our collective reluctance as a society to openly talk about our finances. What we do know about advisers is pieced together through snippets of information we overhear in the media or from other people. Essentially, we’re missing the point. 

Yes, financial advisers help people to manage their money, but don't be fooled into thinking that's all that they do….

Being a financial adviser means:

Being an educator

Financial advisers become experts in financial responsibility so that their clients don’t have to. People's daily lives are so hectic and demanding, it's almost impossible for them to put aside the time to learn for themselves. Alongside an adviser, clients can learn what financial success looks and feels like for them, guided by an expert.

Becoming a supporter

There are lots of reasons why someone might need a financial adviser. Often, these situations intersect with big and emotional life events, like marriage or the birth of a child, as well as cases of divorce or bereavement.

The best advisers will help you through these moments with empathy and support, not just with their financial expertise.  

Being a protector

Financial advisers commit their working lives to helping families plan and protect their futures. Whether they want to become debt-free, or buy their family home, clients can rely on their adviser to help protect their dreams – what’s more meaningful than that? 

Being a friend 

Most financial advisers work with clients for many years, often forming friendships. The best advisers feel like a friend; they’re honest with you, have your best interests at heart and help guide you towards your goals. 

Being a life-changer 

Though there is so much more to life than money, it has the power to change people’s lives; money may not buy happiness, but it does buy choices. As a financial adviser, you can make a difference to someone’s life every day by helping them make the right choice. 

Financial advisers enable people to make the most out of the money they spend their lifetime earning. They change lives every day in so many ways: helping people save for their dream retirement, send the first member of their family to university, or pay off life-long debts that they never thought they’d be rid of. 

Being a financial adviser means so many things, reflecting the breadth and depth of the role. It’s far more expansive than you may first have imagined, but importantly, it’s far more accessible. 

You don’t have to be a financial expert to become a financial adviser. As with professions like accountancy and law, you must take exams to qualify, but to become a great adviser, you need to be a range of things: personable, empathetic, ambitious, responsible, intelligent, but above all, yourself.

Our St. James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy is here to support you to become a qualified adviser and to develop the skills required. If you’re interested to find out more, get in touch.