1

Introduction
My name is Samantha MacPherson and I am currently enrolled in Business Foundations at
Conestoga College. I hope to achieve an overall mark of 70% or higher in my first semester so I
am able to transfer to Financial Planning. I hope to become a financial planner when I graduate
from college and get a career at one of the top financial companies in Canada. I believe this
occupation is best for me because I have experience with financing through Leons Furniture and
I am numerically skilled. I arrived at my conclusion by sitting down with family who are or have
been in the financial business and asking them questions. I believe it is the right suit for me.

I chose the following picture (http://www.condorcapital.com) because it relates to my
relationship with my boyfriend. I am constantly buying myself things because it makes me happy,
and he is constantly telling me to invest my money into my future.


2

Occupational Research

I am researching Financial Planning. A financial planner or personal financial planner is a
professional who prepares financial plans for people covering various aspects of personal finance
which includes: Education planning, retirement planning, cash flow management, investment
planning, risk management and insurance planning, Tax planning, estate planning and business
succession planning.
Skills needed
Reading
Read memos and letters about policy changes from workers in financial institutions. Read
letters to verify applicants' employment status, years of service, incomes and bonuses. They
also read acceptance and refusal letters from lenders and lending institutions.
Read newspapers, trade publications, bulletins and newsletters to maintain current knowledge
of matters affecting finance. Financial planners and trust administrators may read 'buy'
recommendations from industry specialists to identify investment opportunities in technology,
alternate energy, resources and health. They may also read magazine articles about tax and
estate planning. Read procedure manuals and guides.
Read terms and conditions in contracts and application forms. For example, financial planners
may review disability definitions, and accident and illness coverage clauses in several disability
insurance policies to determine which policies best suit specific clients' needs.
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Read laws and regulations governing their work. For example, financial planners in Quebec may
review the Regulation respecting the pursuit of activities as a representative and the Act
respecting the distribution of financial products and services to verify their legal
Document use
Locate data on labels. For example, they scan labels on file folders for clients' names, addresses
and identification numbers.
Enter data into lists, tables and schedules. For example, they may enter items to be discussed
into meeting agendas. They may enter clients' names and phone numbers into daily planners
and appointment schedules. Financial planners and trust administrators may enter investment
income and disbursement data into tables.
Locate data in entry forms. Financial planners and trust administrators may scan clients'
financial needs analysis questionnaires to locate data on income sources and goals, expected
retirement ages, retirement assets and contributions, insurance coverage and immediate cash
needs.
Complete applications and other forms. For example, financial planners and trust
administrators may enter account types, data on plan holders, beneficiary designations and
selected funds' numbers and names into investment application forms.
Locate data and identify trends in graphs. Financial planners may locate data about the asset
allocations, sector weightings and geographic compositions of investment portfolios by
studying fund profile graphs. They may also scan graphs to verify investments' growth over
time.
4

Numeracy

Money Math
Calculate and verify purchase order and invoice amounts. For example, they calculate line
amounts, taxes and totals on purchase orders for office supplies.

Scheduling, Budgeting & Accounting Math
Compare the prices of goods and services offered by banks, insurance companies and other
financial institutions.
Set personal appointment schedules
Reconcile bank and trust fund accounts.
May calculate commission amounts. For example, financial planners who sell financial products
may multiply their current portfolios' transaction amounts by commission percentage rates,
calculate applicable sales taxes and add bonuses for new portfolios.
Calculate amounts for various borrowing, repayment and investment strategies and
assumptions. Financial planners calculate insurance amounts required to cover the needs of
clients' families and investment amounts for clients' retirement incomes. They perform these
calculations using various inflationary and interest rate scenarios. (4)
May calculate amounts for financial statements.
Data Analysis Math
Collect, analyse and interpret data on clients in order to issue recommendations for approval or
rejection of applications for financial products and services. For example, mortgage brokers
collect employment, income, asset and liability data from mortgage loan applicants. They collect
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credit bureau data on accounts which are opened, closed, in good standing and past due. They
calculate debt service and other ratios. They compare these ratios to ranges established by
lending institutions. These calculations and analyses help them draw conclusions about clients'
abilities to repay their mortgage loans.
Collect, analyse and interpret financial data on individual and corporate performances, trends
and patterns. For example, mortgage brokers may calculate numbers of mortgage loans
obtained, mortgage sales generated and numbers of prospects called, met, referred, pre-
approved and approved. They may calculate mortgage loan approval and rejection rates and
average loan amounts. They may also interpret these rates and amounts to assess individual
performance and deviations from performance targets.

Numerical Estimation
Estimate times needed to perform job duties. For example, financial planners may estimate
times needed to visit clients using past experience as a guide.
May estimate sales volumes for upcoming seasons. Financial planners consider market trends,
the strength of the economy and the general business climate to predict sales opportunities that
will be available to them.
Working conditions

A Financial Planner advises individuals on setting personal financial goals and strategies. Many
work independently or in small firms, though larger financial services firms either are adding
Financial Planners to their staffs or are insisting that their Financial Advisors or Financial
Consultants also become certified as Financial Planners.
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Strengths required to thrive in this occupation

You have to be hard working and willing to work long hours. Many financial planners have to
work around their clients hours. You have to be good with numbers and patient. You have to
be willing to look over all of your clients paper work to find any discrepancies with their
Budget Plan.
Salary range
Average salaries for Financial Planners can range from $20,000 starting to $40,000 for those
with 5 years' experience, to $90,000 for those with 10-15 years' experience.
Perks
I have yet to learn about any real perks to the job. One thing that does interest me is the
opportunity to travel worldwide for conferences.
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Training/ Academic Routes & Research
1. Are there any government programs to help you get training or funding to complete your
academic studies/training? Name and briefly describe these potential sources of assistance.
OSAP will assist me with paying for my courses.
2. What academic routes will prepare you for this occupation?
I will need to take a course in financial planning then write my Certified Financial Planning
(CFP) Certificate once complete.
3. What schools offer the programs to prepare you for the occupation?
Conestoga College offers a 3 year Financial Planning program and the CFP, as well as Humber
College and Mohawk College.
4. Make a chart listing schools, level of education, and approximate cost.
PROGRAM LEVEL OF EDUCATION COST
Business Administration -
Financial Planning

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent,
or 19 years of age or older with mature student status
Grade 12 compulsory English, C or U, or equivalent, OR
Conestoga College Preparatory Communications
(COMM1270)
Grade 12 Mathematics, C or U, or equivalent, OR
Conestoga College Preparatory Mathematics (MATH1375)

$3723.44
per year
Financial Planning

A bachelors degree
Computer literate with the ability to use word processing
software, spreadsheets, databases and the Internet for
research

$5,554.54
Financial Planning Postsecondary college or university diploma/degree,
preferably in a Business Program
$2,595.60


8

Ground Breaking Initiatives
What ways are there to try on this career?
Edward Jones provides a financial planning apprenticeship.
The training program begins with three days spent at the St. Louis Home Office learning about
Edward Jones, business building, and system navigation.
After the initial three day training, the apprentices work in the branch. During the first two
months the apprentice's responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Marketing of banking
service products, Promotion of seminars, investment classes and open houses, Direct mail
campaigns, Scheduling appointments and Basic office administrative functions.

What steps (aside from academic studies) are recommended for a person trying to get into this
occupation?
You will need to have some sort of experience in working with numbers and with people. Doing
co-op at a bank may help to see if working in that sort of setting will be right for you.

Are there any related entry-level jobs that will help you get established in your occupation?
Working as a teller in a bank/credit union is the easiest way to get your foot in the door. You
could also apply to jobs at Insurance companies as well to get the experience in working with
mathematics.


9

Are there any professional associations or regulating bodies associated with your choice of
occupation?
There is the Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) is a not-for-profit standards-setting
and certification body that develops, promotes and enforces professional standards in financial
planning through Certified Financial Planner certification. FPSC's purpose is to instil
confidence in the financial planning profession. (http://www.fpsc.ca/)
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Environmental Scan
1. How do todays social circumstances affect your occupational choice? Comment on issues like
aging population, current unemployment rate for young people, population demographics,
and organizational changes (ex. Management & leadership best practices, working at home
vs. battling traffic).
Current social trends put a greater importance on Financial Planning.
We see many more single parents and split families these days. A single income coming in to a
household makes having a proper budget in place imperative. It also requires discipline and
coaching on how to maximize saving both for retirement and a childs education.
Were also reaching a period in time where baby boomers are leaving large inheritances to their
children. This sudden influx of wealth can be both a blessing and a burden if there is not a
support mechanism in place like a strong financial planner.
Another important aspect of financial planning and retirement savings is the need for
individuals to save their own retirement fund rather than rely on business pension plans, as
they are no longer guaranteed, or government pension plans, which could be next on the
chopping block.



2. How do todays economic circumstances affect your occupational choice? Comment on issues
like current businesses in operation, transportation, trade agreements, regulations, Canadian
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dollar in relation to the US dollar, projected projects like new factories opening, and
government employment initiatives (ex. Canada Job Grant).

Financial Planning is always going to be a thriving career in North America, even more needed
when the economy is so poor. People and businesses both need financial planners to assist
them with their budgets so that they are not overspending. There are so many Financial
Planning jobs available in rural areas that if you can find a place to live near the workplace, you
could walk to work. There are three places currently hiring financial planners that within
walking distance from my house. Toronto which has a big market for financial planners is less
than an hour from my home and there are several forms of transportation to take me there that
dont involve battling traffic.

12

Targeted Labour Market Research
1. Are there any labour market trends that are impacting your choice of occupation?
None that are negatively impacting my choice of career. The outlook for Financial Planners is
expected to grow.

2. What are the employment prospects for this occupation? Short term? Long term? Explain.
The job outlook for this profession is considered to be good and it is expected that career
opportunities and salaries will grow substantially in the next decade. As the population ages
and life expectancies increase, demand for financial planning services should increase.

3. Where will the new jobs come from retirement or expansion? [Chart or graph required].
Opportunities will open up mainly through employment increase, but also because of the need
to replace retiring financial officers and those promoted to management positions, generally in
the financial services sector. (http://www.beafinancialplanner.ca)
44% from retirement
36% from expansion
3% from death
17% from other sources
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4. List one source of employment information for each of the following: regional, provincial,
national, and international employment opportunities.
Regional: Kitchener ON, CIBC
(https://cibc.taleo.net/careersection/1/jobdetail.ftl?job=14009124&lang=en)
Provincial: Toronto ON, BMO
(http://www.wowjobs.ca/BrowseResults.aspx?q=Financial+Planner&s=r&l=Toronto%2c+ON)
National: British Columbia (http://www.welcomebc.ca/welcome_bc/media/Media-
Gallery/docs/occupationalguides/financial_planner.pdf)
International: Mumbai (http://www.ifamatch.com/jobdetails.asp)
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5. Find and attach 2 employment ads related to this line of work. Do not use jobs posted by an
agency.

SCOTIABANK
http://jobs.scotiabank.com/ca/toronto/finance-and-accounting/jobid4994268-senior-
financial-planning-consultant-jobs
Senior Financial Planning Consultant

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Senior Financial Planning Consultant HNW Program is responsible for providing
comprehensive financial planning expertise to high net worth clients of Scotia McLeod (SM) and
Scotia Private Client Group (SPCG).

The successful candidate is expected to work in a close knit team environment with other
experts covering private banking, trusts and estates, insurance and taxation to provide our
clients with a superior Total Wealth experience. This role engages with a defined group of
Wealth Advisors and a Team Manager to work with existing or new clients of SM and SPCG. The
role does not encompass soliciting new external clients directly.

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The Senior Financial Planning Consultant is an activity driven role where sophisticated clients
are introduced to you to design complex plans, identify opportunities and engage other internal
experts where appropriate in order to provide meaningful solutions to clients in a proactive
manner. To aid in plan completion, a Financial Planning Associate forms part of the Team of
Experts and works closely with this role.

This unique Wealth Management career opportunity differs from the commission model and
instead provides a steady, competitive base salary and bonus package, defined benefit pension
plan, competitive health benefits package and an annual 4+ week vacation entitlement. Low
administration duties and the absence of tedious paperwork is why so many of our current
team members in other markets have left our competitors to join us.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
-Responsibility for discovering clients, preparing, reviewing and delivering complex financial
plans for/to high net worth clients of both SM and SPCG.
-Provide ongoing, professional financial planning advice on complex strategies to Wealth
Advisors and the Team of Experts.
-Work closely with the Team Manager and other members of the internal Team of Experts and
Wealth Advisors to ensure there is an integrated, organized and comprehensive approach to
financial planning.
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-Oversee the activities of the Financial Planning Associate with an indirect reporting
relationship (dotted line).

QUALIFICATIONS:
-Financial planning experience with HNW clients and complex scenarios;
-Flexibility and desire to work in a team and process driven environment to deliver results.
-Ability to model complex plans and provides possible solutions for HNW clients.
-Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed management model.

EDUCATION AND ACCREDITATIONS:
-Accredited financial planning designation (CFP, RFP) and/or a CA designation.
-University degree or specific academic Financial Planning program.
-Wealth Management industry experience will be considered in conjunction with other wealth
management educational qualifications in selecting candidates for this role.
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RBC
(https://career4.successfactors.com/career?career_ns=job_listing&company=RBC&navBarLeve
l=JOB_SEARCH&rcm_site_locale=en_US&career_job_req_id=63312&selected_lang=en_US&jobAl
ertController_jobAlertId=&jobAlertController_jobAlertName=&_s.crb=DfbwY4Hk1UJll53ZLk19
SQo8s2g%3d)
Financial Planner
The Financial Planner role is to establish and maintain long-term profitable relationships with a
portfolio of clients creating exceptional loyalty by providing superior financial planning
expertise, service and financial advice. The Financial Planner will provide also ensure the
effective use of RBC specialists and delivery channels.

This position will be held accountable for the retention of relationship managed target client
base, extension of existing business opportunities which would include sales and/or revenue
targets, acquisition of referred business from existing clientele, and referral targets to RBC
members.

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1. Actively manage assigned target clients using value-based relationship managed practices,
and provides ongoing financial advice leveraged from the client's financial plan, and use of
financial planning software. Offers an ongoing holistic review of client financial circumstances.
2. Ensures that all financial planning advice and investment recommendations meet the
requirements of compliance policies and procedures, and provincial regulations. Fulfill all
regulatory requirements to maintain financial planning and securities registration.
3. Develops relationships with service partners and local market to optimize business
opportunities and referrals. Refer clients to other RBC business entities as appropriate.
4. Grow assets of assigned book of clients. Achieve asset targets through the sale of RBC
products and services.

Knowledge/Accreditations:

In addition to possessing either Investment Funds in Canada (IFIC) or Canadian Securities
Course (CSC), candidates must hold a Financial Planning designation, either Personal Financial
Planner (PFP) or Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
The ideal candidate will have expertise in financial planning

Experience:
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Previous successful sales experience in the financial industry
Proven application of business acquisition, establishing community and client relationships,
and with success in business growth
Experience creating a referral network or possesses a current extensive network of centres of
influence

Skills/Competencies/Attributes:

A strong sales orientation and a demonstrated passion for putting clients first
Strong relationship builder - able to establish both internal and external working relationships
in order to identify and implement strategies for business growth
Excellent communication, time management and organizational skills
Demonstrated PC literacy, including financial planning software and Microsoft Office
Demonstrated commitment to ongoing learning

Education: A post-secondary diploma/degree, ideally in Commerce, Business Administration or
related experience is required.
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6. Are the job prospects better if you extend the search to all of Canada? Explain where the most
jobs are being offered and why.
Yes if you expand the search there are more jobs available, mostly in British Columbia because
they have such a large financial district and ever growing population. If I was not prepared to
leave the comfort of Ontario, Toronto has the second largest financial district in Canada.
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Personal Reflections
1. Use a chart to list any internal obstacles (be honest with yourself, these can include things like
procrastination) that would interfere with your plan and identify what you might do to overcome
each one.

PROBLEM SOLUTION
Poor Self Confidence
Speak to family or friends for encouragement,
seek help through a guidance counsellor



2. Use a chart to list external obstacles (for example paying for school or moving away) that would
interfere with your plan and identify what you might do to overcome each one.

PROBLEM SOLUTION
Funds to pay for school Solution OSAP, better paying job
Not likely staying in Kitchener for more than a year Online programs to write my CFP


3. For you, what are the major advantages and drawbacks for this area of work? These comments
can include your own feelings and impressions about this occupation.

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The major advantage is the salary. If I could make $40,000 a year, my household income would
be well over $100,000. I would also enjoy the work itself. I enjoy mathematics and working to
find solutions to problems. Being it would be a full time job there would be health benefits
included which would be a plus. One drawback is the long hours that I may have to work,
especially if I operate my own business from home. I would have to cater to the hours of my
clients, which could involve working late nights and travelling to their residence. Another
drawback to getting me into this career is the length of the program through Conestoga College.
If I did the three year program through Conestoga, I would be 31 by time I graduate, which
would give me a short lived career.
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Next Steps
The next steps for me to become a Financial Planner are to achieve a 70% or higher overall
mark in Business Foundations so I am able to make an early transfer into the Financial Planning
course offered at Conestoga. After I achieve that goal I will be finding one well-paying part time
job to assist me with my living while I attend college so that I am not working two jobs and can
put more focus into my school work. I would like to find a job as a teller in a bank so that I can
get my foot in the door of the financial sector.
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