Speaker 1: Today we have a very special topic and I know many of you aspiring financial planning professionals have been waiting for this. Five CB tips for you. This is a subject I'm incredibly passionate about because I've reviewed hundreds and I mean hundreds of financial planning CVs. I've read countless emails from individuals looking to enter the profession and I'm here today to share some valuable insights that will help you stand out, help you catch the eye of that hiring manager and those recruiters, making them want to pick up the phone and call you. So let's get to it. Tip number one, clearly express your intentions. Please tell me what you're looking for. First and foremost, if you don't express your intention, I'm not going to know what you're looking for. If you're currently not in the profession, but inspired to join it, state this upfront. Connect the dots for recruiters and hiring managers. Your CV should reflect your burning desire to change careers and tailor that CV to the profession you're looking to enter. I can't express this enough. Tip number two, engage before you're hired. Engaging with people before you're hired is crucial. Get involved in the profession before securing your job. It shows a genuine interest. LinkedIn is incredible. Use this to connect, learn and decide if this career move is the right fit for you. Those people you connect with could become your peers, your boss or even your friends. The world is small, but the world of financial planning is even smaller. Tip number three, plan your qualifications. Now you will have heard from many of our videos, qualifications are pretty important for financial planning. And if you start the process proactively, that's going to be a green flag to the hiring manager or recruitment consultant. Enroll in your first exam, start studying towards your ROs or if you're going through any of the other exam boards, just start studying because that demonstrates your commitment and put that on your CV. Now, if budget constraints are a concern, I appreciate not everybody is in the position to enroll in their exams and get it underway and self-funded, but maybe consider joining something like Financial Planner Life Academy, because not only will you have access to valuable resources and soft skills training, but you'll gain insights from industry experts and you'll be able to showcase this on your CV that you're dedicated to continuously learn. Now, for example, if I've got two CVs in front of me, one of them tells me I want to get into financial planning. I've enrolled with Financial Planner Life Academy and I'm studying towards my first exam and I have another CV which doesn't state anything about it, anything about joining the profession, which one do you think I'm going to call? Both of those people could want to get into financial planning, but if you don't state it on there, you're going up against people who might have experience, people who tell me where they want to go. So you need to connect those dots. Right. Tip number four, highlight relevant skills. So highlighting relevant skills is essential. Identify the skills that are required for entry level roles in financial planning and write down a bullet point list of these skills. Now look at your past experience and think of where have I gained experience in this? Think about client interaction, administration, analysis, research, market awareness. Do your research on what skills are there and make a bullet point list so you can show what is going to transfer over into your career in financial planning. And tip number five, do not overlook soft skills. Remember, it's not just about hard qualifications. Your soft skills matter too. And showcasing the human side of yourself, the communication, the problem solving, empathy, all of these are highly relevant to financial planning and they will make you just as employable when your experience is limited. Bonus tip as well. So I recommend adding a personal touch. When I read a lot of CVs, there are some things that make it stand out. Putting on your hobbies, putting on interests, even if it's something as simple as walking your cocker spaniel named Mabel, I will stop and go, oh, they've got a cocker spaniel called Mabel. And if you've done all of the points above, I will definitely be calling you because it makes your application memorable. So in conclusion, it's not just about the qualifications. It's about how you present yourself, your commitment to the financial planning professional. And following these tips, you'll be well on your way to impressing those hiring managers and recruiters. It's competitive market and you have to do what you can to stand out. I wish you all the best of luck on your journey to becoming a successful financial planning professional. And remember, the world of financial planning is waiting for individuals just like you to make a positive impact. Thank you for joining us today on the Financial Planner Life channel. If you found this video helpful, don't forget to like, share and subscribe for more insightful content. And as always, if you have any questions or need any further guidance, feel free to leave them in the comment section below. We're here to support your journey. Until next time, take care. Outro music.