Skip navigation

What is the best path for young wannabe?

or Register to post new content in the forum

 

Comments

  • Allowed HTML tags: <em> <strong> <blockquote> <br> <p>

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Mar 11, 2015 2:54 am

Hello,

I have been enthralled by financial markets since I was in middle school, and the passion has only grown as I have matured. The first thing I did when I turned 18 was open up a individual brokerage account with Ameritrade and I funded it with $4,000 I had saved up from working at a minimum wage job. Furthermore, I have completely funded my roth IRAs the previous two years because I try to be as forward thinking as possible. 

Now I am a Senior finance major at a regional university wondering how I can take my interests in investing and use them to help others and start my career. I want to become a financial advisor but I fear that my age will prevent me from being able to suceed (I will only be 21 at graduation). I will graduate in the Spring with no debt. I have had two internships, both as essentially a corporate accounting inten, The way I see it, I have the following options to choose from when I graduate

1. Apply to firms like Edward Jones/ Raymond James for the training

2. Work with a local independent advisor to gain experience

2. Go back to school to get a graduate degree in financial planning (CFP Approved program) then apply to be an advisor at a regional or local firm. (I would still only be 22/23)

3. Get a corporate job and mature before attempting to become an advisor

With the limited information available to you, which of these options would be most likely to end up with a successful start for me? Is there any other advice that you can offer? I really want to be an advisor, but I understand my limitations and want to be realistic. I would prefer to be a fidicuiary paid mainly from fees not commission. There are just so many options that it can be overwhelming.

Eventually I would like to be own my own firm, but I understand that will likely not be possible until I have years of experience and a network of clients.

I appreciate all freedback. Thank you for taking the time to help a young student.

Mar 12, 2015 7:09 am

It’s great that you’ve made a commitment to financial services. I would check out http://thejunioradvisor.com/2015/03/05/edward-jones-training-program/

That has a full review of the training program at Edward Jones, and it has other reviews of different firms, like WFA and ML. I think you should really start educating yourself by getting some internships in sales, financial services, etc. Start young!

Mar 12, 2015 9:36 pm

I like the idea of going to school to obtain the degree. I was just interviewing students at Texas Tech (they are other schools as well) but they come out with a good understanding of the FP concepts and softwares.