Traits of a successful financial professional
Successful financial professionals come from all types of educational backgrounds and experience levels – from recent college graduates to career changers. A degree in finance or business isn’t necessary; success in this career is more about possessing a set of specific traits:
People skills - The ability to create and maintain strong relationships with clients and interact with diverse personalities is paramount to success as a financial professional. A passion and dedication to educating others and helping individuals, families, and businesses achieve their financial goals will get you far in this career.
Integrity - It may sound like a cliché, but having integrity is crucial to establishing yourself as someone worthy of your clients’ trust. This is of the utmost importance for a meaningful career that many consider not only a profession, but a life purpose.
Entrepreneurial spirit - Building your own list of clients requires the ability to be tenacious in finding new people to serve and motivating existing clients to stay on course toward their goals. The industry rewards hardworking, self-motivated types who are well organized, flexible in their thinking, and creative in how, when, and where they work with clients.
Resilience - A career as a financial professional means you’ll need to weather the ups and downs that are part of building a business for yourself and a lifetime strategy for your clients. It can take three to four years of consistent effort to establish a prosperous practice. Assisting your clients to plan for the long term and stay on course throughout a multitude of market cycles and life events is part of the job.
Commitment to lifelong learning - Successful financial professionals expand their knowledge base for their own intellectual satisfaction as well as to provide their clients with the best service possible. Staying up to date on the markets and making sure you’re always one step ahead on product development and evolving investment strategies is key.
Desire to help - Successful entrepreneurs are motivated primarily by their ability to make an impact. Making a difference by helping others is another benefit of this career path, as financial professionals help their clients create the strategies needed to achieve their long-term financial goals.
When it comes to building a successful financial services practice, the ability to learn and grow is more important than anything. If you are a driven, hardworking individual looking to build a business of your own, start by searching for a Guardian firm near you.