Jamie,
Sorry to hear that. I ran into much the same struggle looking for my first job as a paraplanner at a firm that does real financial planning, instead of just sales. Keep looking for the jobs at firms which do the real stuff - they're out there.
If you're willing to consider relocating to Cincinnati, the firm I work at as well as several fee-only firms I could point you towards in the area are currently hiring paraplanners, which can be a great position to get started in. You might also consider looking at the postings on SimplyParaplanner at
https://simplyparaplanner.com/ for virtual paraplanner positions that don't require you to be local (fair warning: these are some of the most competitive paraplanner positions to get).
Best of luck, and let me know if you're looking at the Cincinnati area at all!
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Benjamin Dobler
Paraplanner
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Cincinnati OH
(513)835-5055
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-12-2019 13:58
From: Jamie Wiggins
Subject: Career Advice
Hello everyone,
I am in the midst of trying to break into financial planning. I went back to school and earned my MBA in Personal Financial Planning from Indiana Wesleyan University in April 2018, which I graduated from a CFP Board approved program so I'm eligible to sit for the CFP exam. I am currently working at Charles Schwab in their 401k department. I just am very worn down on sitting at a desk in a call center and not doing anything else. I worked for Allstate Insurance Company almost 2 years. I am on pace to gain the CFP credential Spring 2020. Last year I had an interview at a RIA firm but not any job experience in financial planning. I cannot seem to land a job at an RIA due to there is not many fee only practices in my area of Ohio. How should I go about breaking into financial planning because I feel like I'm caught in the catch 22 cycle of experience required but how do I get valuable experience if no one will give me an opportunity? I would launch my own RIA firm but it's just so expensive to do it the right way. Any advice and direction will be appreciated because I feel on an island by myself.
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Jamie Wiggins
Canal Fulton OH
(330)419-4205
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