A career change at 40 or beyond can feel like a big step, but it can also create new opportunities to apply the skills, experience and relationships you’ve spent years building.

Many successful financial advisors begin their careers after excelling in other professions. They bring valuable strengths such as communication, problem-solving, relationship building, leadership and the ability to help people navigate important life decisions.

Financial advising offers the opportunity to build meaningful relationships, make a positive impact in your community and take ownership of your professional future, all while receiving training and support designed to help you succeed.

Many successful Edward Jones financial advisors came to the role after building careers in other industries, bringing valuable professional experience, established community relationships and a passion for helping others.

That’s what attracted Cheryl Mothes, who became a financial advisor after spending more than 20 years building her nursing career. She was looking for a career that would allow her to continue helping people while creating a greater sense of ownership over her professional future.

“Financial advising provides flexibility, unlimited earning potential and the opportunity to help other people meet their goals,” Cheryl said. “That was immediately intriguing to me. So was the fact that I would feel a sense of ownership for my career success and for seeing my clients and community succeed too.”

Career changes can be intimidating at any age, particularly when you’ve spent years building expertise and credibility in your profession. For many people, however, that experience is exactly what helps them succeed as a financial advisor.

“Having 20 years of previous work experience, I knew what I was capable of,” said Cheryl. “I was aware of my abilities and how they could translate to the financial industry. This experience and confidence I had built through a previously successful career in healthcare were all helpful as I worked to become a financial advisor.”

By age 40, many professionals have already experienced the life events they may one day help clients navigate, including buying a home, managing debt, raising a family, caring for aging parents or preparing for retirement. Those experiences often help create deeper empathy and stronger client relationships.

Many career changers also bring an established network of community connections, professional relationships and life experiences that can help them build trust and grow a business grounded in meaningful relationships.

A successful transition into financial advising requires commitment, preparation and support. That’s why Edward Jones invests heavily in helping new financial advisors build the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to succeed. And as a firm with a rich history spanning more than 100 years, it’s helped associates build meaningful careers while serving clients and communities across North America.

Financial advising can be a rewarding and realistic career path for people who enjoy building relationships, helping others and continuously learning. It also comes with challenges. Becoming a financial advisor requires dedicated preparation to learn the industry and pass required licensing and registration exams.

For approximately 10 weeks, studying and exam preparation become a new financial advisor’s primary focus. Edward Jones helps support this transition with a robust study program that includes study materials, a dedicated study specialist and a support team designed to help new advisors prepare with confidence.

The transition from a traditional salary structure can also feel significant. That’s why Edward Jones provides new financial advisors with supplmental compensation while they build their client base and establish their practice.

Learn more about how to become a financial advisor.

There is no single path to becoming a financial advisor. In fact, many successful financial advisors begin their careers in entirely different industries before applying their existing skills in a new way.

Successful financial advisors often share skills such as:

• Observation and analysis of information
• Clear communication of complex concepts
• Empathy and emotional intelligence
• Building trust and relationships
• Critical thinking and decision-making
• Discipline and self-motivation

Professionals in the following career fields often transition well into financial advising:

Financial services and adjacent industries

Many professionals in financial services, wealth management, banking and insurance already have experience working with clients and financial products. Some may also hold licenses or registrations that can help accelerate onboarding.

Sales

Professionals with sales experience often thrive as financial advisors because of their relationship-building skills and entrepreneurial mindset.

Many career changers are drawn to Edward Jones’ relationship-based, community-centered approach, which focuses on developing long-term client relationships rather than relying on high-pressure sales tactics or internal competition.

Financial services client support

Professionals working in support, operations and client service roles often have a strong understanding of the financial services industry. For those interested in deeper client relationships and business ownership, financial advising can be a natural next step.

Law and accounting

Legal and accounting professionals bring experience interpreting regulations, analyzing information and helping others make important financial decisions. Those skills translate well into financial advising.

Healthcare

After more than 20 years in nursing, Cheryl was surprised by how many of her skills transferred directly into financial advising. “I am regularly analyzing information and determining how to best use it to the benefit of my clients,” said Cheryl. “Even the process I use is similar to the nursing process. I’m just using financial data instead of medical data.”

Communication, empathy, critical thinking and the ability to help people through complex situations continue to serve her every day as a financial advisor.

Career changers frequently bring strengths that are difficult to teach, including professional maturity, resilience, leadership skills and established community relationships.

Many also have experience building trust, solving problems and helping people through important life decisions. These qualities often translate naturally into financial advising and help create meaningful client relationships.

“When it came to navigating a start in a new industry, I was grateful that I decided to become an Edward Jones financial advisor,” Cheryl said. “Edward Jones has a solid reputation because of the great service they provide clients and the support they provide team members. I found that to be true from day one.”

Learn more about starting a career as a financial advisor or start searching for opportunities now. If you’re already licensed as a financial advisor, learn how we’re built to take your practice to the next level.