Resume guide · Job Zone 4
Personal Financial Advisorsresume guide.
Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate. A strong Personal Financial Advisors resume shows active listening, reading comprehension and speaking, and names the tools you have worked with, such as Salesforce software, Microsoft Access and Structured query language SQL.
See a sample Personal Financial Advisors resumeAnnotated against this guide · 3 templates↓Sample resume
This guide, on a real page.
A Personal Financial Advisors resume built in ResumeXRays, annotated against the data below. Flip the pages, try a template, then make it yours.
- 1Give the size of your book.Households, assets under management and retention are the three numbers firms ask about first, and they show Service Orientation better than any adjective.
- 2Show the result, not just the task."Interview clients to determine their income, expenses, insurance coverage" from this guide becomes how fast you deliver a plan and how many prospects sign.
- 3Show how you keep assets when they pass on.Trillions are moving from retirees to their children, and most heirs switch advisors. A bullet about planning with the next generation answers a worry every firm has right now.
- 4Mention the tech that saves you time.Salesforce software is the CRM this guide marks as hot, and firms are adding AI tools. Say what the tool saved and what you did with the time.
- 5Name each credential exactly.Write CFP the way CFP Board spells it, give the FINRA series numbers, and name the state that issued your insurance license and that it is active.
- 6Keep education to one line.Most financial advisor roles ask for a bachelor's degree, so the degree, school and year are enough. Your book and credentials matter more.
Sample resume. The candidate is fictional; the layout and templates are real.
01Also called
O*NETCertified Financial Planner (CFP)Financial AdvisorFinancial ConsultantFinancial CounselorFinancial Life PlannerFinancial PlannerInvestment AdvisorPortfolio ManagerWealth AdvisorWealth Manager
02Skills employers expect
O*NETImportance is how much the skill matters to the job; level is how much of it the job demands. Both are worth naming on the resume, in this order.
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | Very high | Advanced |
| Reading Comprehension | Very high | Advanced |
| Speaking | Very high | Advanced |
| Writing | High | Advanced |
| Critical Thinking | High | Advanced |
| Complex Problem Solving | High | Intermediate |
| Judgment and Decision Making | High | Intermediate |
| Mathematics | High | Intermediate |
| Service Orientation | High | Intermediate |
| Social Perceptiveness | High | Intermediate |
03Knowledge areas
O*NET- Customer and Personal Service
- Economics and Accounting
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Administration and Management
- Sales and Marketing
- Computers and Electronics
- Law and Government
- Administrative
04Common responsibilities
O*NETOrdered by importance. Each one is a bullet waiting for a result and a number.
- Interview clients to determine their current income, expenses, insurance coverage, tax status, financial objectives, risk tolerance, or other information needed to develop a financial plan.
- Analyze financial information obtained from clients to determine strategies for meeting clients' financial objectives.
- Answer clients' questions about the purposes and details of financial plans and strategies.
- Review clients' accounts and plans regularly to determine whether life changes, economic changes, environmental concerns, or financial performance indicate a need for plan reassessment.
- Manage client portfolios, keeping client plans up-to-date.
- Recommend to clients strategies in cash management, insurance coverage, investment planning, or other areas to help them achieve their financial goals.
- Recommend financial products, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or insurance.
- Implement financial planning recommendations, or refer clients to someone who can assist them with plan implementation.
- Contact clients periodically to determine any changes in their financial status.
- Prepare or interpret for clients information, such as investment performance reports, financial document summaries, or income projections.
05Software and tools
O*NET102 tools across 19 categories. The six largest categories are below; Hot marks a hot technology, In demand a tool employers ask for most often.
Financial analysis software54
- Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
- Monte Carlo simulation software
- Financial planning software
- Portfolio management software
- Estate planning software
- The Omni Group OmniPlan
- Advent Axys
- AdviceAmerica AdvisorVision
- Advisory World ICE
- ASI Client Acquisition Solution
- Asset allocation software
- Brentmark Stock Option Risk Analyzer
- Cheshire Financial Planning Suite
- Cygnus IncomeMax
- Education planning software
- EISI NaviPlan
- Estate Capitol Needs Analysis
- ExpenseWatch
- Finance Logix Education Planner
- Finance Logix Insurance Planner
- Finance Logix Retirement Planner
- Financeware AASim
- Financeware WealthSimulator
- Financial Profiles Profiles+ Professional
- Host Analytics Host Budget
- Ibbotson Analyst
- Ibbotson Portfolio Strategist
- Impact PlanLabX3
- IMPACT Wealth Distribution Analysis
- Investment and business valuation template software
- Investment tracking software
- J&L Financial Planner
- MasterPlan
- Microsoft Money
- MoneyTree Silver Financial Planner (financial analysis feature)
- Morningstar Principia
- Needs analysis software
- Net Worth Strategies Stock Opter Pro
- Optima IAS
- PIE Technologies MoneyGuidePro
- PlanPlus Pro
- PlanScan Portfolio Pathfinder
- Retirement planning software
- Sawhney ExecPlan
- ScenarioNow RetireNow
- SunGard Frontier
- SunGard PlanningStation
- SunGard WebPlaid
- Thomson ONE Advisor
- Torrid Retirement Planner
- Unger Software Methusaleh
- WealthTec AllocationPro
- WealthTec Foundations
- WealthTec WealthMaster
+ 49 more
Customer relationship management CRM software13
- Salesforce softwareHotIn demand
- Microsoft Business Contact Manager
- ACT! ACT4Advisors
- DataViz Beyond Contacts
- eMoneyAdvisor AdvisorPlatform
- EZ-Data Client Data System
- Financial Planning Consultants Practice Builder
- Getting Things Done GTD software
- Investigo
- Junxure CRM Software
- ProTracker Advantage
- Redtail Technology Our Business Online
- Web Information Solutions Pocket Informant
+ 8 more
Data base user interface and query software5
- Microsoft AccessHotIn demand
- Structured query language SQLHotIn demand
- Microsoft SQL ServerHotIn demand
- FileMaker Pro
- Practice management software PMS
Document management software5
- Cabinet NG CNG-SAFE
- World Software Corporation Worldox
- Financeware Finance File Manager
- ScanSoft PaperPort Pro
- SunGard LockBox
Accounting software3
- Sage 50 Accounting
- Fund accounting software
- Quicken
Enterprise resource planning ERP software3
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Oracle Hyperion
- Oracle PeopleSoft Financials
Presentation software3
- Microsoft PowerPointHotIn demand
- Financial planning presentation software
- MoneyTree Silver Financial Planner (presentation feature)
Spreadsheet software3
- Microsoft ExcelHotIn demand
- IBM Lotus 1-2-3
- Corel QuattroPro
Word processing software3
- Microsoft WordHotIn demand
- Automatic Data Processing ProxyEdge
- Financial report generation software
Calendar and scheduling software1
- Pimlico Software DateBk
Communications server software1
- IBM Domino
Compliance software1
- ComplianceMAX
Development environment software1
Electronic mail software1
- Microsoft OutlookHotIn demand
Internet browser software1
- Web browser softwareIn demand
Object or component oriented development software1
- SwiftHot
Office suite software1
- Microsoft Office softwareHotIn demand
Project management software1
- Microsoft ProjectHotIn demand
Tax preparation software1
- Tax planning software
06Education and preparation
O*NETTypical education
Bachelor's Degree
58% of surveyed workers. Others report Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (23%) and Master's Degree (12%).
Preparation level
Job Zone 4 · Considerable preparation
Usually a four-year degree and several years of related experience.
07Putting it on your resume
ResumeXRays guidanceBEE · How to show it
Lead with what you built. For a Job Zone 4 role, hiring managers and parsers both look for outcomes before credentials. Put two or three results at the top of each job entry, with the scale or effect stated plainly.
Name the tools exactly. This occupation is heavy on named software. A skills section that says "Salesforce software, Microsoft Access, Structured query language SQL, Microsoft SQL Server" matches more job descriptions than a general phrase. Use the spelling employers use.
Show reading comprehension and speaking, not just active listening. Reading comprehension and speaking rank close to active listening for this occupation. One bullet per role that shows a decision, a tradeoff or a result covers them.
Run your resume through the free scan →See your fitbefore youhit apply.
Drop your resume and see what a parser flags before you send it. Free, no card.
Analyze your resume free →$0 to start · No card · Free plan forever