InvestmentNews to launch ‘Next Gen’ virtual career fair

InvestmentNews will launch a strategic initiative designed to introduce college students and young professionals to opportunities in the financial advisory business.
Throughout 2012, InvestmentNews will host a series of web events — culminating in a day-long virtual career fair — that will educate the “Next Generation of Financial Advisers” about the diverse career paths available to them.In partnership with certified financial planning programs at major universities, as well as key firms within the industry, InvestmentNews will actively connect highly engaged and qualified students with registered investment advisers and broker-dealers that are cultivating young talent — talent that could shape the landscape of the advisory business for years.
“The average adviser is 57 and thinking about what will happen to his business when he wants to cut back or retire. These new, young, talented — but inexperienced — planners are their succession plan,” said Deena Katz, associate professor in the division of personal financial planning at Texas Tech University and chairman of Evensky & Katz Wealth Management.
“With industry support, the next generation of planners will be technically competent, technologically savvy and ready to take the helm,” she said.
The InvestmentNews virtual career fair, which will take place in November, will feature the thoughts and insights of top executives from the registered investment adviser, independent-broker-dealer and brokerage channels. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask these executives questions directly in a series of interactive webcasts and also will be able to network throughout the event with some of the industry’s largest players and prospective employers.
InvestmentNews is now also allowing brokerages and advisory firms to post any internship opportunities in our Career Connection job board. To submit your internship openings, click here.
For many advisers, the development of new talent is one of the most important issues that they will need to address in building their businesses. With the total population of advisers and brokers shrinking by more than 5% over the past decade, according to data from Cerulli Associates, advisers have fewer options for partnerships.
“There are only so many options for an adviser to sell a firm,” said Derek Klock, associate professor of practice at Virginia Tech. “The longer-term solution for many in the industry will be internal succession, but developing a legacy for a firm takes time, effort and commitment.”
In addition to Virginia Tech and Texas Tech, InvestmentNews will work with the University of Georgia, San Diego State University, Utah State University, Kansas State University, William Paterson University and Utah Valley University on developing the program.
InvestmentNews also will host several webcasts and the virtual career fair next year, and begin to include internship and entry-level opportunities in a new section of its Career Connection job board.
For more information about the InvestmentNews “Next Gen” initiative, please contact Mark Bruno ([email protected]).