What do you see top non – advisor wealth management professionals (practice employees) doing for professional development?
Eddy Ricci, Jr., CFP ®, CEPA ®: When most candidates and employers think about “professional development” in the planning and wealth management space, they immediately jump to designations and credentialing. This may be obvious and the most important way to increase knowledge, technical skill and awareness to need areas of planning. Top candidates and growing professionals are paying attention to the people they are surrounding themselves with. Whether internally by joining/creating committees, starting brainstorming groups within the firm, or externally by being involved in industry organizations, professional associations, study groups or hiring a coach even as a non advisor to work on decision making process building and communication skills.
Michael P. Connaughton, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®: In addition to pursuing further education and designations, we see specialized wealth management candidates immersing themselves in industry-based books and podcasts to gain additional perspective and deepen their knowledge base. It often becomes apparent to hiring firms how committed to the profession a candidate is when they share how they subscribe to career development tools and research and are eager to take time outside of business hours to advance their expertise.