Skills, Education and Experience
Skills
- enjoy interacting with people
- strong oral and written communication skills
- detail-oriented and problem solving
- able to work independently
- strong aptitude for working with numbers
- good analytical skills
- honest and able to keep customers’ financial information confidential
Education and Experience
Financial Planners
- a bachelor’s degree in business administration, commerce, economics or a related field is usually required
- the designation Certified Financial Planner, awarded by FP Canada (formerly the Financial Planning Standards Council), may be required
- Financial planners who sell regulated financial products and investments, such as annuities, RRSPs and life insurance, are required to be licensed by the appropriate governing body
- Various training programs and courses are offered by financial institutes and organizations, such as the Canadian Securities Institute, CFA Institute, Investment Funds Institute, Canadian Institute of Financial Planning, and Trust Companies Institute of Canada, and may be required by employers.
Mortgage Brokers
- a bachelor’s degree in business administration, commerce, economics or a related field is usually required
- a mortgage broker licence is required
Source: WorkBC
Qualifications
This occupation is regulated in British Columbia.
Mortgage Brokers
Registration as a sub-mortgage broker with the BC Financial Services Authority (BFSA) Registrar of Mortgage Brokers is mandatory.
Completing the Mortgage Brokerage in British Columbia Course offered through the Sauder School at UBC satisfies the minimum educational requirements for registration as a sub-mortgage broker and will qualify you to work for a registered mortgage broker in BC. To apply to become a mortgage broker (with the ability to hire sub-mortgage brokers), you must first be registered as a sub-mortgage broker.
Financial Planners
Certification as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) by FP Canada is the most widely recognized financial planning designation in Canada.