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Investment advisor vs representative

The differences between investment advisors and representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an investment advisor, becoming a representative takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an investment advisor has an average salary of $105,377, which is higher than the $36,023 average annual salary of a representative.

The top three skills for an investment advisor include exceptional client, risk management and client relationships. The most important skills for a representative are cleanliness, patients, and customer issues.

Investment advisor vs representative overview

Investment AdvisorRepresentative
Yearly salary$105,377$36,023
Hourly rate$50.66$17.32
Growth rate15%-4%
Number of jobs63,438252,761
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age4540
Years of experience412

What does an investment advisor do?

An investment advisor is responsible for managing the clients' financial portfolios, advising them of investment options according to their financial goals and objectives, and their ability to handle risks. Investment advisors should have excellent knowledge of the investment policies, providing the clients with the best financial strategies according to their interests. They also determine their expenses, income, and credit scores to identify a comprehensive financial plan. An investment advisor helps the clients with cash management techniques, as well as conducting data analysis on financial market projections.

What does a representative do?

Representatives are lawmakers who represent the people in a specific district. They run for office to represent their districts in their hometown or their current place of living. Representatives are usually charismatic and good communicators. These characteristics are especially important during campaign and election periods. Representatives should be able to capture the hearts of the voters through their planned projects and advocacies. They are then elected by their constituents. Upon election, representatives author bills that will eventually be passed into law should it be approved by the majority of the congress. They also vote on the passage of bills authored by other representatives. They also participate in discussions and debates regarding different bills, issues, and laws. Representatives are expected to vote according to their conscience and in consideration of the voice of their constituents.

Investment advisor vs representative salary

Investment advisors and representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Investment AdvisorRepresentative
Average salary$105,377$36,023
Salary rangeBetween $60,000 And $184,000Between $23,000 And $55,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyMcKinsey & Company IncGoogle
Best paying industryTelecommunicationTransportation

Differences between investment advisor and representative education

There are a few differences between an investment advisor and a representative in terms of educational background:

Investment AdvisorRepresentative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Minnesota - Twin Cities-

Investment advisor vs representative demographics

Here are the differences between investment advisors' and representatives' demographics:

Investment AdvisorRepresentative
Average age4540
Gender ratioMale, 72.3% Female, 27.7%Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.2% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage5%7%

Differences between investment advisor and representative duties and responsibilities

Investment advisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage and strengthen customer relationships through cross-selling and up-selling to maximize retention and income generation by contacting existing and prospective customers.
  • Obtain skills with different financial programs and tools such as Morningstar and NetX360.
  • Advise and recommend insurance products including, fix and variable annuities, and term life.
  • Focus on macroeconomic fundamentals, high yield, distress debt, volatility and macro base cross-asset statistical strategies.
  • Communicate information to clients on various products offer such as equity funds, bond funds, annuities, and money markets.
  • Identify client- specific and regulatory reporting requirements, review purchase and redemption activity, securities settlements, and cash movements.
  • Show more

Representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage fitting rooms and recover the department, while providing exceptional customer service and offering rewards and POS options.
  • Manage physical portfolio with necessary derivatives to mitigate risk within company guidelines.
  • Conduct telephone sales and interviews, compile and enter information into database, manage documents and insure customer satisfaction.
  • Review EOB denials, appeals and/or rebilling as appropriate.
  • Certify of all requirements, policies, and procedures, including MSB.
  • Take inbound phone calls from member and providers explaining the EOB denial and payments
  • Show more

Investment advisor vs representative skills

Common investment advisor skills
  • Exceptional Client, 12%
  • Risk Management, 10%
  • Client Relationships, 9%
  • Health Insurance, 8%
  • Business Development, 7%
  • FINRA, 5%
Common representative skills
  • Cleanliness, 20%
  • Patients, 11%
  • Customer Issues, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Outbound Calls, 3%

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