"You Did What!?" How to Become a Financial Adviser from 5 Unlikely Sources

Your answer probably changed each time you were asked, but it was likely something along the lines of, “I want to be an astronaut,” or “I want to be a ballerina.” It probably wasn’t, “I want to become a financial adviser!”

The financial advice sector is one of the best kept career secrets out there: a client-facing, well-paid, and meaningful profession that enables you to meet and help all kinds of people. And yet, not many prospective financial advisers are aware of the opportunity.

It is estimated that more than 50,000 advisers are needed in order to continue servicing clients in the UK alone. Financial advisers are needed now more than ever!

It doesn’t matter if you are currently sat in a different career. You can gain your financial advice qualifications through the St. James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy, ensuring you obtain a Level 4 qualification in financial advice recognised by the FCA. This will put your people-skills, experience, and pursuit of a meaningful career with professional standing all in one place - transforming you into one of the qualified financial advisers of tomorrow.

Hear from 5 career-changers who did just that, with unexpected and exciting pasts which prove that anyone can be a financial adviser when they grow up, if they put their mind to it.

1. Professional rugby player – Toby Freeman

Toby was first scouted during a rugby match in his hometown of Cornwall, only weeks before he was due to leave for university. 4 months later, he was officially signed as an Exeter Chiefs player, marking the beginning of his 14-year career as a professional rugby player for teams like Exeter Chiefs, Harlequins and London Scottish.

As he approached his 30s, Toby began considering what his next move would be after rugby and started to take his financial advice exams.

“A former captain of mine rang me to say you should give this career path some thought because you’ve always been good with people. 4 years later, I was qualifying as a financial adviser.”

Financial advice was a second career that appealed to Toby because he “could apply the skills and discipline he had learnt from his time in professional sport to a new career” and continue to build on them – just in a different way. Toby has now been giving financial advice for several years and has found both success and satisfaction in his second career. He specialises in providing regulated financial advice. In his new role, Toby excels at providing advice tailored to his clients’ needs.

2. Ex-Royal Air Force fighter pilot – Jonny Shingles

Jonny was a jet pilot for the Royal Airforce, flying planes like the Tornado, for more than a decade before becoming a financial adviser. He left the military, doing an MBA at London Business School and starting up a business that was later bought by the Financial Times. He also started a family with his wife, who is still a pilot today.

Financial advice was the next step for Jonny after selling his start-up. He flew through the St. James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy and soon began advising clients in his own business. Jonny’s success in his business can be attributed to his strong business management skills and his role as an independent financial adviser. He no longer finds himself “working crazy hours” and has been able to achieve the work-life balance that he always wanted to.

“I’ve found a career I think I’ll struggle to retire from,” Jonny says. “When you build trust and work with a client like a partner, it truly is the most rewarding career.”

3. Professional photographer – Laura Laws

Despite being a professional photographer when she joined St. James's Place Financial Adviser Academy, Laura already had a background in the financial industry through business and accounting. She had worked at Lloyds bank and taken accountancy exams before taking a career break to raise a family. Her photography company started as a “side-hustle” but soon became full-time!

When her youngest child joined secondary school, Laura realised she “wanted to go back to doing something with numbers and people.”

“I loved the emotional side of working in photography, getting to know everyone’s stories and lives. You need to adapt to what people need and make the experience comfortable for them – in both photography and in financial services.”

As a financial adviser, Laura helps clients select suitable financial products tailored to their individual needs.

4. Ex-gaming industry – Ollie Wilson

Ollie worked in the gaming industry for over 12 years. He loved the constant innovation and teamwork inherent in his profession, but eventually found himself losing some of his enthusiasm and passion for it.

“The idea of spending another decade on something I wasn’t passionate about filled me with dread. The St. James's Place Financial Adviser Academy felt like a natural place to go.”

He had always taken a keen interest in financial services and his father was a client of St. James's Place. After joining the Academy, Ollie very quickly found that he already had several of the critical skills required to make a good adviser: business planning, communication and networking skills that he had built up from his previous career. These skills have been invaluable in his new role, particularly in selling financial products that align with clients’ financial goals.

5. Physiotherapist – Tom Barnes

Tom transitioned from a decade-long career in physiotherapy to become an adviser alongside his dad and brother in their family practice. Tom admitted that, while he enjoyed his time in physiotherapy, he was “looking for a fresh challenge and something new.” The St. James's Place Financial Adviser Academy offered him just that.

Being able to continue helping people as a financial adviser, and working in a new environment, provided Tom with the challenge and satisfaction he craved. Tom now regularly creates financial reports to showcase investment performance for his clients. “Now, I never get Sunday evening dread…I don’t dread Mondays!”

He shares this message for others who feel like they’ve hit a wall in their current career: “Just because you’re in your 30s, you’re not bound to stay in the industry or role if you want to do something different. It’s possible!”

Thinking of making a career change of your own? Consider becoming a qualified financial adviser.

Why not have a conversation with our recruitment team to find out if St. James's Place Financial Adviser Academy might be the best next step for you and your career? Independent financial advisers (IFAs) offer unbiased and unrestricted advice by researching all available investment products, which could be a rewarding path for you. Click here to learn more.