SPONSORED CONTENT -- (StatePoint) As a college student, you have the opportunity to explore many exciting career options. One avenue you may not have considered is financial planning. This in-demand field offers impressive starting salaries, the potential for growth and career satisfaction. What’s more, one-of-a-kind opportunities exist to assist students of color embarking on this journey.

Here’s what to know about becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professional:

Getting started: If you do embark on a financial planning career, earning the right credentials is critical to fast-tracking your success. CFP^® certification has been the standard for financial planners for the last half-century. Earning this certification prepares you for industry challenges and demonstrates to your clients and employers your expertise and commitment to ethical practice. It also offers valuable networking opportunities with peers and mentors.

Getting certified: The CFP^®certification process is challenging but rewarding. The process involves completing coursework, accumulating experience, meeting the ethics requirement and passing the CFP^® exam. The coursework requirement typically takes 12-18 months. Once you have that certification in hand, you’ll have gained the knowledge and acumen needed to hit the ground running.

Finding support: To better meet the needs of a diverse client base, CFP Board has launched initiatives to recruit and support people of color in financial planning. This includes administering third-party scholarship programs that help cover education and exam costs for CFP^® certification, which are awarded based on merit and financial need to individuals from underrepresented groups.

In addition, CFP Board’s Virtual Diversity Career Fairs connect top employers in financial planning with qualified candidates, including CFP^® professionals and students. These fairs offer networking opportunities, job opportunities and one-on-one interactions to cultivate the next generation of diverse professionals.

To learn more about CFP^® certification, scholarships and career opportunities, and to find more tools and resources, visit www.cfp.net.

With demand for personal financial advisors expected to grow, and the industry focused on supporting professionals of color, it’s worth exploring this rewarding career path.

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