Financial Adviser
Help people plan their finances, investments and superannuation by developing strategies around their goals.
What They Do
Financial Advisers help clients make informed decisions about money and longer-term financial goals.
They assess a client's financial position, discuss objectives and develop strategies involving areas such as investments, superannuation, retirement planning, insurance and wealth management. They may also monitor investment performance and update financial plans as a client's circumstances or financial markets change.
Who This Career Suits
Financial advice suits people who enjoy working with numbers but also like building long-term relationships with clients.
Strong advisers need to explain complicated financial concepts in understandable language, listen carefully to people's goals and make recommendations while working within strict professional and ethical requirements.
Trust, communication and attention to detail are particularly important.
Key Skills
Communication, Financial Analysis, Analytical Thinking, Relationship Management, Problem Solving, Attention to Detail, Commercial Awareness, Organisation
Work Environment
Office, Hybrid, Remote, Client Sites, Professional Services
Education & Training
inancial advice is a regulated profession in Australia.
For someone entering the profession now, ASIC requires an approved bachelor or higher degree, or equivalent qualification, together with the required professional standards. New advisers must also pass the financial-adviser exam and complete a professional year before providing unsupervised personal advice to retail clients on relevant financial products. ASIC
The professional year includes supervised work and at least 100 hours of structured training. Financial advisers also have ongoing continuing-professional-development and ethical obligations.
Career Changer Pathway
Financial advice can suit career changers from accounting, banking, insurance, mortgage broking, sales, investment services or other finance-related roles.
However, previous industry experience alone does not remove the professional standards required for new advisers.
Career changers generally need to ensure their qualifications meet the approved education standard, pass the adviser exam and complete the professional-year requirements before becoming fully authorised.
Early Career
Early-career professionals may begin as Associate Advisers, Paraplanners or Provisional Financial Advisers.
They support client meetings, prepare financial plans, research strategies, gather financial information and learn the compliance and documentation requirements involved in regulated financial advice.
Mid Career
Experienced Financial Advisers manage their own client portfolios and provide advice across areas such as investments, superannuation, insurance and retirement planning.
They may specialise in particular client groups such as professionals, families, retirees or business owners.
Senior / Veteran Career
Senior Financial Advisers may manage large client portfolios, mentor younger advisers or become senior partners within advisory firms.
Other pathways include private wealth management, financial-planning management, investment consulting, practice ownership or executive positions within financial-services organisations.
Salary Guide
Early Career
80000
Mid Career
120000
Senior / Veteran
160000
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Salary data source:
Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS
Salary data source URL:
Date :
5 October 2026 at 12:00:00 am
Career Outlook
The broader Financial Investment Advisers and Managers group currently employs about 63,400 people, with annual employment growth of approximately 900. Financial Investment Advisers specifically accounted for about 24,000 workers in the latest occupation-level Census data available on JSA. Jobs and Skills Australia
However, JSA's 2025 shortage analysis noted that Financial Investment Adviser moved from shortage to no shortage, indicating that recruitment pressures have eased compared with previous years.
Job Outlook :
Outlook Source :
Moderate
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