Becoming a certified financial planner (CFP) can open new career opportunities, including the possibility of remote work. While some firms that hire financial advisors prefer them to work in-house, others are comfortable allowing them to work virtually on a part-time or full-time basis. If you’re interested in CFP remote jobs, it helps to know where to find them, how to get hired, and what you’ll need to do to prepare for the work-from-anywhere life.
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What Types of CFP Jobs Can You Do Remotely?
The kinds of CFP jobs that can be advertised as remote positions are often the same as the ones financial professionals may be hired to do on-site. For example, a quick search of CFP remote job listings might turn up openings for:
- Senior financial planner
- Director of planning
- Paraplanner, full-time or part-time
- Financial counselor
- Financial advisor
- Client services manager
The job description for remote and in-house financial planning jobs may be identical concerning the skills and experience required, or the duties you’re expected to perform. Salary details and employee benefits may also be the same. The main difference lies in where you’re carrying out the core tasks of the role.
Where to Find CFP Jobs Remote
You might pursue several avenues when searching for a remote financial advisor job. Leaving no stone unturned could help you generate more potential job leads, which may increase the likelihood of finding a remote position that’s best suited to your career objectives and needs.
Here are nine common options you might consider when searching for remote jobs in financial planning.
- CFP Board Career Center. The CFP Board Career Center is an excellent starting point for finding jobs in financial planning, remote or in-house. You can search for remote advisor roles, view job details and apply to positions that seem like a good fit. You can also set up job alerts to be notified when new openings are listed that align with what you’re looking for.
- National Association of Personal Financial Advisors job board. The NAPFA job board is another useful resource for locating remote financial advisor jobs. You can search for specific job titles or just enter ‘remote’ into the search box to see what kind of opportunities are available.
- Simply Paraplanner. Simply Paraplanner is an online job board dedicated to remote financial planning roles. You can filter by tag or search for professional paraplanner jobs based on these criteria: full-time, part-time, 1099, W-2, fee-based, or fee-only.
- Financial Planning Association job board. The FPA’s job board allows you to view job listings and apply or post a resume so that hiring managers can find you. You can filter job listings using keywords, including ‘remote.’
- LinkedIn. LinkedIn can help you build your professional network, but it can also help you connect with remote job opportunities in financial planning. You can use the Jobs feature to search for remote jobs, filtering by experience level, salary, date posted, or company. You can save job positions you’re interested in, message the hiring team if you have questions, or apply for openings using your LinkedIn profile. And you can reach out to people in your network to see if anyone knows of a remote CFP opportunity that you might be a good fit for.
- Company websites. Some companies have a Careers or Jobs section on their website, which is worth exploring if you’re looking for remote work as a CFP. You might consider this possibility if there’s a specific advisory firm or investment bank that you’re interested in working with.
- Advisor networking platforms. Professional networking platforms can offer career development opportunities, mentoring services and assistance with your job search. Schwab, for example, offers RIAConnect Talent Advantage to help those aspiring to careers with RIA firms achieve their goals. If you’re considering a networking platform to find CFP remote work, look at whether you might pay a fee to access it.
- Remote-only job boards. Remote job boards can feature a broad range of job listings, including openings for financial advisor roles. You may need to fine-tune your search using keywords to filter the results, but these types of job boards screen out non-remote positions. Keep in mind that some remote or virtual job boards may require a monthly membership fee to access.
- General job boards. Online job boards like Indeed or Simply Hired are another resource for finding CFP jobs you can do remotely. You may have to do a little more filtering here, as you’ll also find plenty of in-house financial advisor jobs listed.
How to Get Hired for Remote CFP Jobs
Landing a remote CFP job begins with meeting the most important requirement: obtaining CFP certification. Assuming you’ve checked that off already, you can get your job search underway. Here are four common tips that can help increase the odds of getting hired:
- Update your resume. If you haven’t updated your financial advisor resume recently or have yet to write one, that’s a good place to start. Your resume should highlight your professional experience, education, skills, and of course, your CFP certification as well as any other designations you hold.
- Set your parameters. Before you begin your search, consider what type of openings you’re most interested in. Is there a specific company you’d like to work with? A particular salary range you’re hoping for? Are you looking for a fully remote position or would you be comfortable working one or two days a week in an office? Asking these kinds of questions can help you narrow down what terms and keywords you should be using to search for jobs.
- Apply, even if you don’t meet 100% of the requirements. Applying for a remote CFP job when you don’t check off every box on the recruiter’s list might seem like a waste of time, but you could miss an opportunity by not taking a chance.
- Reach out directly. If there’s a specific company that you’re interested in, but they don’t appear to be hiring, it doesn’t hurt to make contact. Sending a friendly email to ask if they’re hiring or planning to do so soon could open the door to a conversation about remote work. Even if they’re not hiring now, they may appreciate you taking the initiative and reach out to you down the line when something opens up.
How to Prepare for a Remote CFP Job
If working remotely is unfamiliar territory for you, you might not know what to expect. Here are four things to keep in mind as you venture into remote work:
- Prepare your workspace. Setting up your workspace means ensuring that you have everything you need to do your job. At a minimum that might mean a computer with a camera, a printer, a desk and a chair. If you’re going to be meeting with clients using video chat, you’ll want to test your camera to ensure it’s working properly and you may want to invest in a good microphone so they’re able to hear you.
- Secure your internet connection. Your employer will likely walk you through the security protocols you’re expected to observe when accessing client information, one of which may require using a virtual private network (VPN). Even if you’re not obligated to use a VPN you may consider doing so to add a layer of security and ensure client data is protected.
- Set your schedule. What your daily schedule and routine look like can depend largely on your employer’s requirements. For example, you may be expected to be at your desk from 8 am to 4 pm each day. If so, you’ll need to decide how to break the day up. For example, will you spend the morning working on back-end activities and marketing, while dedicating afternoons to client meetings? You’ll also need to decide where breaks and lunch will fit in.
- Get connected with your team. If you’re working with a team of advisors and support staff, you’ll likely be using collaborative tools to do so. For example, you might use a tool like Slack for convenient shared communication. If you’re expected to use any of these tools, you may first need to create an account using a link provided by the employer. Once you’ve created your account. you’ll want to make sure you’re logged in before starting the workday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Financial Planners Work Remotely?
Yes, some companies hire CFPs on a remote basis. Some may offer full-time remote work while others combine part-time remote work with in-office work a few days per week.
Can a CFP Be Self-Employed?
Financial planners who experience difficulty finding remote jobs may opt to work for themselves. As a self-employed financial planner, you may choose to build an entirely remote business and meet with clients via video chat or over the phone.
What Are Some Typical Expenses for a Remote CFP Job?
Working remotely as a certified financial planner comes with certain expenses, which can include:
- Internet and phone service
- Office supplies
- Printing and copying services
- Mailing fees
- Computer hardware and software
- Camera and microphone
- Office equipment
It’s important to keep track of any expenses you incur while working remotely, as you may be able to deduct them on your tax return.
Bottom Line
Working remotely as a financial advisor may allow for some flexibility when it comes to how and when you carry out your job duties. Creating a must-have list of things you’re looking for in a CFP remote job as well as a nice-to-have list can help you find the right opportunity.
Tips for Growing Your Advisory Business
- Gaining new clients is a top priority for advisors but it’s often easier said than done. If you’re looking for a way to grow your client base, you may consider working with an online lead-generation platform. SmartAsset AMP (Advisor Marketing Platform)is our holistic marketing service that financial advisors can use for client lead generation and automated marketing.Sign up for a free demoto explore how SmartAsset AMP can help you expand your practice’s marketing operation.Get started today.
- A carefully crafted resume can help you make a good first impression when applying for CFP jobs, remote or otherwise. If your resume could use an update, reviewing some financial advisor resume templates can give you a better idea of what points to include and how to format your information in an attention-grabbing way.
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