What Financial Advisers Look For When Researching a Company to Work For
The financial advisory profession runs on trust, expertise and long-term relationships. When experienced advisers consider a move, they are not scanning for just another role; they are weighing whether a firm will make it easier to serve clients, grow income and build a sustainable career. These are the areas advisers routinely scrutinise—and how firms can position themselves to win them over.
Compensation and real transparency
Advisers care about how pay is structured and how predictable it is. Salary plus bonus, fee-only or commission-led can all work if the rules are clear. They want to see the payout grid, what counts towards thresholds, whether there are caps, clawbacks or time lags, and how legacy vs. new business is treated. High performers look for genuine upside: performance bonuses tied to measurable outcomes, revenue share, and—where appropriate—options to buy equity after consistent delivery. They also want clarity on protection of recurring revenue, minimums, and how orphaned clients are allocated. Security and data governance also matter.
Client support that actually removes friction
Top advisers do not want half their week consumed by admin. They check for named support—paraplanners, client service administrators and an operations contact—plus clear SLAs. They test whether onboarding, suitability letters, reviews and switches are handled consistently so they can stay focused on planning, relationships and revenue-generating activity.
Technology that helps them win time back
Every firm claims a strong tech stack, so advisers ask for specifics: the CRM, financial planning toolset, portfolio management and rebalancing, client portal and reporting. They look for integrations that reduce duplicate data entry, remote access that is reliable, and support that solves issues quickly. The test is simple: does the stack save time and improve client experience, or create workarounds?
Training and professional development
Career-minded advisers value structured development. They look for funded exams, study time and mentoring, but also for coaching on business development, communication and leadership. Firms that treat development as an investment—linked to clear progression—stand out.
Compliance they can trust
A strong, pragmatic compliance function is a differentiator. Advisers look for a clean regulatory record, clear policies, accessible guidance and proactive oversight. They ask how files are sampled, how advice is challenged, and how fast decisions are turned around. The goal is confidence that the firm protects clients and advisers without creating unnecessary drag.
Culture and values that hold up in real life
Advisers assess whether the stated values show up in day-to-day behaviour. Collaboration, client-first thinking and integrity matter, as do flexibility and work-life balance. They notice how teams interact, how wins are shared and how issues are addressed. A healthy culture keeps good advisers; a poor one pushes them out.
Growth and progression
Ambitious advisers want clarity on what comes next: leadership opportunities, specialist tracks, route to partnership or equity, and whether the firm promotes from within. They also want freedom to build—space to develop a niche, a proposition or a region with support rather than red tape.
Brand, reputation and stability
A respected name makes it easier to attract and retain clients. Advisers look at the firm’s market position, client retention, peer sentiment and financial stability. They consider whether the brand strengthens their credibility and shortens sales cycles—or if they would be rebuilding trust from scratch.
Marketing and business development support
Winning advisers are realistic about lead generation. Some want robust, centrally generated leads; others prefer tools to power their own outreach. They ask about marketing assets, referral networks, events, partnerships and digital campaigns. Clarity on who owns leads, how marketing activity is funded and how outcomes are measured avoids disappointment later.
Benefits and the day-to-day environment
Beyond pay, advisers compare benefits—health, pension, paid leave—and the practicalities: office locations, hybrid options, equipment, and small things that affect everyday productivity.
How advisers make the final call
Most advisers weigh these factors differently: some prioritise upside earnings; others prioritise support, stability or culture. The best matches happen when there is alignment between the adviser’s goals and the firm’s reality—demonstrated with specifics, not slogans.
What this means for hiring firms
If you want to attract high-calibre advisers, show your workings. Publish clear compensation mechanics. Map the support model with named roles and SLAs. List your tech stack and how it integrates. Explain your development pathway and what it takes to reach equity. Evidence your compliance approach and regulatory record. Share retention data and client outcomes. Spell out how marketing works, what resources are available and how success is measured.
Do that consistently—credibly—from job ads and LinkedIn outreach to interviews and onboarding—and you will shorten hiring cycles, reduce drop-out and improve retention. Advisers join firms that make it easy to deliver great advice and grow their business; they stay when the promise matches the day-to-day.
Contact us if you want help packaging these strengths into a single, compelling adviser proposition—and getting it in front of the right people.
James Ackland james@ortuspsr.co.uk