The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

From CPA to Financial Advisor: Mike Countryman

Considering a Financial Advisor career with Edward Jones? Hear from some of our current Financial Advisors about the position and the career path they took to build a successful practice.

Mike was a Certified Public Accountant prior to becoming a financial advisor with Edward Jones. He liked the work, but was growing weary of the hours and travel away from home. Getting ready for marriage and starting a family, he knew things had to change to provide more work-life balance. He had always wondered about becoming a financial advisor but didn’t have a lot of client facing interactions outside of conducting audits. After making the change, he realized how meaningful it was to build client relationships and the satisfaction of being present in his family’s everyday lives.

What were you looking for in your next career?

“I really wanted to stop traveling so much and the tax season hours were getting unbearable. When I wanted to start a family I knew a change had to take place so I explored becoming a financial advisor. I really liked the business model that Edward Jones offered; running my own business with the support of the Home Office, but not having someone hanging over my shoulder.”

What are some talents that you carried over from being a CPA, which helped you become a successful financial advisor?

“Having the financial and tax background gave me more credibility with clients from the very start. I knew what I was talking about, and they appreciated that. I also had comfort talking to people, whether they had large investments or were just starting off; those discussions were enjoyable to me.”

What stands out most to you about being an Edward Jones Financial Advisor?

“It is hard work, but being a CPA made it an easy transition getting my business up and running. I took a leap of faith, most of the time CPAs make good money and I had to focus on the long term, be patient, but in the end it all was very much worth it. I have the joy of dropping off and picking up my daughter from school, there’s nothing better than being present in her life. I also didn’t anticipate the depth of relationships I would build with clients as an FA vs. CPA. It’s great when people call you up for little things and have questions about making purchases; they rely on you and trust in you, not just in their investments. I have awesome client relationships.”

If you’re ready for a challenging yet rewarding career as a financial advisor, you can learn more about the opportunity or apply now to connect to a recruiter near you.

Gaining Flexibility as a Financial Advisor: Mark Audet

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

Gaining Flexibility as a Financial Advisor: Mark Audet

Read the transcript or view the audio described video.

Considering a Financial Advisor career with Edward Jones? Hear from some of our current Financial Advisors about the position and the career path they took to build a successful practice.

Mark Audet worked as a director of analytics in the banking industry before switching careers to a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. He liked the idea of running his own practice and being able to take control of his long-term success, both professionally and personally. Working with Edward Jones gives him the autonomy and empowerment that he had been missing.

What were some of the factors that led you to explore a career change?

“I realized I was putting in so many hours at work in my prior role, but it wasn’t really impacting my family in a positive way. That wasn’t the work-life balance I wanted long term.”

What were some of your initial hesitations before you started as a Financial Advisor?

“Stepping away from an income level, and knowing that it could have been a lifestyle change for my family. But I welcomed it because of the long-term potential right around the corner. With the unlimited income potential, it was much more of an upside.”

What can a new Financial Advisor expect in his or her first year?

“Starting in the business is not easy, and no one should tell you that it is. So when you make the commitment, you have to prepare yourself for several years of really hard work. It’s a numbers game. If you’re driven and make the contacts you’re supposed to make, you can be successful.”

Thinking about a career change? See how your business skills complement a new career as a Financial Advisor.

Taking Control as a Financial Advisor: Floyd Gantt

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

Taking Control as a Financial Advisor: Floyd Gantt

Read the video transcript.

Considering a Financial Advisor career with Edward Jones? Hear from some of our current Financial Advisors about the position and the career path they took to build a successful practice.

Floyd Gantt worked as a financial manager in the aerospace and building industries before switching to Edward Jones. He felt that his previous company lacked compassion, and he never felt looked after. Edward Jones was an attractive career destination for Floyd because of the firm’s in-depth training and ongoing support for Financial Advisors and their practices.

When did you decide it was time for a change?

“I never felt like I was making a difference in my previous career. Every day that I woke up, I did not feel happy. At that time, I believed that I needed to go find something different.”

What were you looking for in your next career?

“I wanted the ability to grow my own practice and have freedom. In corporate, you’re only as good as the boss you work for.”

What stands out the most to you about being a Financial Advisor?

“Since I am in the community, I grow strong relationships with people. I see growth and help someone buy a new car, get through school or retire. At Edward Jones, we are not in a building with 50 other Financial Advisors.”

Thinking about a career change? See how your business skills complement a new career as a Financial Advisor and why a career risk may not be so risky.

Building Trust As a Financial Advisor: Jennifer Heal

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

Building Trust As a Financial Advisor: Jennifer Heal

Read the transcript or view the audio described video.

Considering a Financial Advisor career with Edward Jones? Hear from some of our current Financial Advisors about the position and the career path they took to build a successful practice.

Jennifer Heal was a national account manager in the manufacturing industry before switching to a Financial Advisor career. She was interested in the opportunity to utilize her sales skills in order to provide more meaningful and personal services to her clients.

What do you like most about managing your clients’ finances?

“This role is much more important to people. For my clients, it’s educating their children, preparing to get their son or daughter married, or retiring. There’s a lot more meaning behind being a Financial Advisor.”

What qualities do you think make a successful Financial Advisor?

“You should be good with people, able to listen and ready to make recommendations based on what clients discuss with you. You have to be a hard worker and be motivated. There’s no one standing over your shoulder telling you what to do, so you need to be self-driven in order to take next steps yourself.”

What advice do you have for someone with a sales background considering a career as a Financial Advisor?

“You don’t have to have a financial background. Some of us have sales backgrounds, but some of us were teachers or engineers. I think that as long as you’re willing to work hard and have the resiliency to get through the hard times, you can be successful.”

Thinking about a career change? See how your sales skills complement a new career as a Financial Advisor and why a career risk may not be so risky.

The Financial Advisor Opportunity: About the Role

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

The Financial Advisor Opportunity: About the Role

Read the transcript or view the audio described video.

The financial advisor opportunity is a role unlike any other. Their daily work goes beyond aligning people with financial solutions. They help people work toward a comfortable retirement, purchase a first home or send a child to college. Our financial advisors also play pivotal roles within their communities, volunteering for local causes and bringing people together. Learn more about this unique opportunity.

About the role

Edward Jones financial advisors help people plan for life’s big moments. By taking time to understand clients’ unique needs, they’re able to present personalized investment solutions that are designed to help meet lifetime goals.

Best of all, it doesn’t take an expert. Thanks to our top-tier training program, our financial advisors have come from a wide variety of professional fields and built successful branches with us. Simply bring your ambition and drive and we’ll show you what it takes to succeed. One of our financial advisors, Courtney, agrees.

“As financial advisors, it’s not our job to know all the ins and outs of different companies,” she says. “You don’t have to be a financial wizard. It’s about getting to know your clients and being able to work with them toward what they’re trying to accomplish.”

All the while, Edward Jones financial advisors are building businesses in their local communities. Our financial advisors set their own hours, make their own schedule and pick their own clients. It’s truly an opportunity that rewards entrepreneurship and independence.

About the reward

Our financial advisors enjoy our “no ceiling” approach to business. We believe you should get what you give, so our associates’ compensation is always tied to their branch’s success. We also take pride in offering a comprehensive benefits package that includes opportunities for bonuses, commissions, profit sharing and more.

But the financial advisor role goes beyond financial reward. Our associates are active members in our clients’ lives, working with them to find the solutions they need. They take pride in driving people to achieve significant life goals. One of our financial advisors, Mason, discusses how he views his role in his clients’ lives.

“I really identify as an educator. Making sure people understand what the process is and why they own what they own,” he says. “What it means to take a risk in the market or not take a risk in the market. And my biggest joy comes from helping them reach their goals.”

If you’re ready for a rewarding career as a financial advisor, you can learn more about the opportunity or find an opportunity near you to connect with a recruiter.

A Lot to Offer: The Financial Advisor Opportunity

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

A Lot to Offer: The Financial Advisor Opportunity

Read the transcript or view the audio described video.

At Edward Jones, our financial advisors make more than a living. They’re investing in their communities and building businesses that support their personal and professional goals. With strong support from our home office and local colleagues, our financial advisors are surrounded by a network of people eager to see them succeed. This opportunity truly has a lot to offer.

Your own branch office

You won’t find our financial advisors in large office complexes. They enjoy local branches in their communities that allow them to connect on a more personal level with their clients. They build their branches from the ground up, and this sense of ownership drives their ambition as they work to meet their goals.

A network of support

Even though our financial advisors are building their own businesses, they aren’t completely on their own. Edward Jones equips our financial advisors with top-tier training and support from our Home Office, such as client-building strategies and mentorship with senior financial advisors in their region. It takes hard work and dedication to build a practice, but we’re behind them every step of the way.

One of our financial advisors, Mason, says it best: “I’ve always wanted to open my own business. You start from the ground up, but you have a huge team of people in the Home Office supporting you, so it’s not like you’re going out and starting from ground zero. You get a branch and you build it from that point forward.”

Unlimited earning potential

As a financial advisor with Edward Jones, your success is your own—and that includes your earning potential. As your build your branch and provide clients with the financial solutions they need, you’ll find no obstacles in between you and further success. No income caps, no limits.

If you’re ready for a rewarding career as a financial advisor, you can learn more about the opportunity or find an opportunity near you to connect with a recruiter.

Is the Financial Advisor Opportunity Right for You?

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

Is the Financial Advisor Opportunity Right for You?

Read the transcript or view the audio described video.

As a financial advisor at Edward Jones, personal goal-setting starts on day one. Through hard work and dedication to reach these goals early on, you can find work-life balance and unlimited earning potential as you build your career. To meet these goals, you are given the autonomy to run your own practice and work your own hours. And since we strongly believe that conducting business on a personal, one-to-one basis is the best approach, our financial advisors have the opportunity to build lasting relationships with people in their communities.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, the Edward Jones opportunity may be right for you.

Your skills

With our firm, you have the ability to put your critical thinking skills and good judgment to work as you meet with clients, assess their needs and tailor strategies to help them achieve their long-term financial goals. When you have a desire to make a difference in your clients’ lives and your community, your hard work can lead to the rewarding career you are seeking. Mason, one of our financial advisors, found this to be one of the keys to his success: “Have a passion for your business. When people see that you want to help them achieve what they want to achieve before helping yourself, they want to do business with you.”

A rewarding challenge

The financial advisor role will challenge you, but with the support of your branch office administrator and the home office, help is at every turn. And as a reward for your hard work, you will find more control over your career and a level of flexibility and income that may enable you to build a lifestyle that includes more time and resources for the things that matter most to you.

If you’re ready for a rewarding career as a financial advisor, you can learn more about the opportunity or find an opportunity near you to connect with a recruiter.

The Financial Advisor Opportunity: Training and Support

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

The Financial Advisor Opportunity: Training and Support

Read the transcript or view the audio described video.

When you come to work for Edward Jones, you can count on plenty of support and training to get you started on the right foot. Our award-winning program, recognized for 23 consecutive years by Training magazine, consists of three different types of training, including self-study, classroom and field training. And as a new financial advisor, we’ll be your guide from the onboarding process to building and optimizing your own practice.

The onboarding experience

Soon after you’re hired, you will be assigned a field trainer, whom you will have the opportunity to observe and learn how a successful business is run. This experience is designed to give you insight into time management, prioritization skills and office administration. You will also be introduced to veteran financial advisors from your region who will assist you throughout your training and beyond. Through our full-time and compensated programs, you’ll learn the ins and outs of the business and what it takes to succeed here at Edward Jones.

We’ll help you prepare to:

Pass your regulatory exams
Fully understand the financial services industry
Build relationships with clients and help them reach their financial goals

We understand that the financial services industry is complex and dynamic, which is why the resources we provide cover everything you need to know to pass the Series 7, Series 66 and insurance exams.

Ongoing resources and support

Throughout your entire career, expect access to multiple resources from our headquarters and peers in your region. Our well-established support system is tailored to your community and will be there every step of the way.

At Edward Jones, we’re different by design. We are confident that the tools we provide will bring both you and your clients a future of success.

If you’re ready for a rewarding career as a financial advisor, you can learn more about the opportunity or find an opportunity near you to connect with a recruiter.

2023 Training Magazine Training Apex Award, published February 2023, data as of September 2022, an application fee was required for consideration.

Running with Sled Dogs or Running a Branch? I do both.

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

Running with Sled Dogs or Running a Branch? I do both.

At Edward Jones, our financial advisors come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, from banking and finance to sales and service. We know that building a diverse team of financial advisors is key to meeting our clients’ needs across the country. This week, we’re highlighting that diversity outside the workplace by showcasing our financial advisors’ unique skills and interests outside the office. We recently met with Chris Knott, one of our financial advisors in Fairbanks, Alaska, to learn how he discovered a rather chilly hobby.

Chris, we hear you have an interesting hobby. Tell us a little about it.

After college, I decided to take a year off before entering graduate school. Although I graduated with honors, I was feeling a little burned out. I needed to do something else for a little while. Around that time, I read a book on crossing Antarctica with sled dogs. I really liked the idea of being out in the wilderness alone with a team of dogs, so I contacted a friend of mine who owned a racing kennel in Alaska. Shortly after, I ended up moving there to train and race dogs.

Wow! What was that training regimen like?

It was incredible. I started in August with shorter runs to get the dogs in shape and used to the runs. As the miles got longer, the teams started to come together. The dogs start learning together and moving as one unit, not individuals. That’s when you know you’re ready to race.

It’s so rewarding to see all those months of training pay off. To form that bond with each dog and mold that into a team is an unbelievable feeling. It’s all based on one goal: to finish together. When you go out on a 100-mile race, the dogs know to trust you and to follow your direction, whether or not it’s the right move. On the other hand, I know to trust them. If we’re on thin ice and they veer from the course, I know they feel something I don’t and I have to trust their instinct.

So, shortly after moving there, you decided to stay in Fairbanks and started a practice with Edward Jones. Can you talk about that transition? How did you balance your racing hobby and growing a business in your community?

Well, I was engaged at the time and my wife wasn’t thrilled about marrying a dog trainer. It was the perfect time for me to go back to my experience in finance and start looking for a career that was right for me. I was interested in Edward Jones for the firm’s commitment to integrity and honesty.

At Edward Jones, I have found incredible support both for my hobby and my practice.

The Investment of a Lifetime: Alexander Kerford

August 7, 2020/in The Financial Advisor Opportunity Optional /by manjunath

The Financial Advisor Opportunity:

The Investment of a Lifetime: Alexander Kerford

How does a former packaging engineer transition to a career in finance? Meet Alexander Kerford, a financial advisor at Edward Jones. We recently met up with Alexander to find out what shaped his decision to take a leap of faith with his new career.

Talk about your initial job search after leaving the engineering field. Were you searching for a short-term or long-term fit?

After leaving the engineering field, I bounced around a bit and ended up working in sales for a large hospitality company. That’s where I developed those crucial soft skills, such as being able to understand people and interpret their needs.

I think there’s a distinct difference between a job and a career. A job is something you do to pay the bills and provide support for yourself and your loved ones. A career is something that ultimately becomes a calling. And a calling is not short-term. It is something that you feel, believe and value through your work. During that job search, I was looking for my calling.

How did you find your calling?

I had a degree in mathematics that I wanted to put to good use and I knew I wanted to help people. I started looking at careers in financial services and I found that it was a great combination. As for Edward Jones, I had a working knowledge of the company since college, when I started investing with a local financial advisor. I loved how the company made me feel as an investor and I decided that I wanted to deliver that same experience on the other side of the desk.

We’re glad you made that decision. What other considerations did you make in your career search?

I considered places that I could spend the next 30 years of my life. It was important that I understood everything about the work and why it was relevant, so I made an effort to learn as much as I could about the company. I researched its traditions, its history, and its commitment to the communities it serves. The more I researched, the more I knew it was the place for me.

Having a company that aligns with my value and goals is also a massive bonus. During my job search, I put a heavy emphasis on work-life balance and Edward Jones made it clear that it supports financial advisors finding time to participate in activities that they enjoy.

What was the most important consideration?

People. People. And people. The reality for me is that a company could pay me a lot of money and have a ton of benefits and get all types of awards—but if it’s not built around good people, it’s not a good fit. Being paid and making a difference are important, but surrounding myself with the right people was paramount.

What was key to your success in preparing for a financial services career?

I had a strong desire to develop my current skillset and learn new ones. Having that level of ambition will take you a long way in any career you want to pursue. Adding in the company’s terrific training program, I was confident that I had everything I needed to succeed. It wasn’t always easy, to be honest. It’s scary to jump into an arena that you aren’t knowledgeable about, but if you’ve developed yourself in a way that you’re always be willing to learn, you’ll be successful.

Why is Edward Jones a great place to develop a career?

Even if you come from a different professional background, such as engineering, Edward Jones gives you the same opportunity as anyone else to be successful. People don’t look at you differently for needing help. You’re given the training, the tools and the confidence to start this new career journey and come out feeling fulfilled. There is no secret to success here — Edward Jones shares it with you.

From CPA to Financial Advisor: Mike Countryman

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Gaining Flexibility as a Financial Advisor: Mark Audet

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What were some of the factors that led you to explore a career change?

What were some of your initial hesitations before you started as a Financial Advisor?

What can a new Financial Advisor expect in his or her first year?

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Taking Control as a Financial Advisor: Floyd Gantt

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When did you decide it was time for a change?

What were you looking for in your next career?

What stands out the most to you about being a Financial Advisor?

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Building Trust As a Financial Advisor: Jennifer Heal

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What do you like most about managing your clients’ finances?

What qualities do you think make a successful Financial Advisor?

What advice do you have for someone with a sales background considering a career as a Financial Advisor?

Search Jobs by Keyword:

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The Financial Advisor Opportunity: About the Role

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About the role

About the reward

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Related Posts

A Lot to Offer: The Financial Advisor Opportunity

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Your own branch office

A network of support

Unlimited earning potential

Search Jobs by Keyword:

Related Posts

Is the Financial Advisor Opportunity Right for You?

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Search Jobs by Keyword:

Related Posts

The Financial Advisor Opportunity: Training and Support

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Related Posts

Running with Sled Dogs or Running a Branch? I do both.

Share this post:

Chris, we hear you have an interesting hobby. Tell us a little about it.

Wow! What was that training regimen like?

So, shortly after moving there, you decided to stay in Fairbanks and started a practice with Edward Jones. Can you talk about that transition? How did you balance your racing hobby and growing a business in your community?

Search Jobs by Keyword:

Related Posts

The Investment of a Lifetime: Alexander Kerford

Share this post:

Talk about your initial job search after leaving the engineering field. Were you searching for a short-term or long-term fit?

How did you find your calling?

We’re glad you made that decision. What other considerations did you make in your career search?

What was the most important consideration?

What was key to your success in preparing for a financial services career?

Why is Edward Jones a great place to develop a career?

Search Jobs by Keyword:

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