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How to hire an investment counselor

Investment counselor hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring investment counselors in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire an investment counselor is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new investment counselor to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an investment counselor, step by step

To hire an investment counselor, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire an investment counselor, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step investment counselor hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write an investment counselor job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new investment counselor
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an investment counselor do?

Investment counselors can be called financial planners. They usually work in a financial institution to communicate with clients on how to invest in an investment. An investment counselor often assesses the client's financial situation to come up with a financial plan. Sometimes, they are also responsible for conducting training and workshops for both clients and bank employees.

Learn more about the specifics of what an investment counselor does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your investment counselor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an investment counselor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an investment counselor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an investment counselor that fits the bill.

    This list presents investment counselor salaries for various positions.

    Type of Investment CounselorDescriptionHourly rate
    Investment CounselorPersonal financial advisors give financial advice to people. They help with investments, taxes, and insurance decisions.$32-102
    Finance Advising InternshipFinance advising interns help with the marketing of finance packages offered by firms and banks. They assist in creating plans to increase clientele and work with clientele to succeed in their financial goals... Show more$14-51
    Finance PlannerA financial planner is responsible for handling client accounts and providing financial advice to determine the best investment options according to the clients' interests and risk appetite. Financial planners record the clients' living expenses as a part of their portfolio, identifying their long-term goals and objectives, and giving tax advice... Show more$20-57
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Client Service
    • Capital Markets
    • Client Relationships
    • Securities
    • Wealth Management
    • Brokerage
    • Financial Products
    • Investment Philosophy
    • Portfolio Strategy
    • Investment Solutions
    • Client Assets
    • Investment Strategies
    • Investment Portfolios
    • Business Development
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage $3MM private investment portfolio consisting of mid-cap/large-cap equities.
    • Adjust sector exposure to express personal macro views, selecting single stocks within sector base on fundamental analysis and technical indicators.
    • Monitor preparation of asset/liability management report.
    More investment counselor duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your investment counselor job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An investment counselor salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for an investment counselor in Wyoming may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level investment counselor usually earns less than a senior-level investment counselor. Additionally, an investment counselor with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average investment counselor salary

    $120,817yearly

    $58.09 hourly rate

    Entry-level investment counselor salary
    $68,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 18, 2025

    Average investment counselor salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$145,778$70
    2California$143,861$69
    3Massachusetts$140,703$68
    4Washington$118,429$57
    5Oregon$115,784$56
    6Virginia$114,758$55
    7Illinois$111,895$54
    8Louisiana$107,715$52
    9Pennsylvania$101,701$49
    10Texas$99,350$48
    11Minnesota$96,128$46
    12Florida$95,305$46

    Average investment counselor salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Citi$154,034$74.0536
    2Wellington Group$148,607$71.451
    3BMO Capital Markets$143,734$69.109
    4Marsh & McLennan Companies$141,835$68.1915
    5The Independent Traveler$141,769$68.1633
    6Fisher Investments$139,895$67.2624
    7HSBC Bank$138,420$66.551
    8BNY Mellon$126,355$60.753
    9David Lerner Associates$112,780$54.22
    10Wellington Management$111,961$53.839
    11Edward Jones$107,133$51.51
    12Nationwide$103,432$49.7324
    13The Travelers Companies$102,230$49.15121
    14Fidelity Investments$95,117$45.7314
    15Equitable Holdings$91,965$44.21
    16Progressive$87,581$42.11
  4. Writing an investment counselor job description

    An investment counselor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an investment counselor job description:

    Investment counselor job description example

    Job DescriptionDo you have a background in Finance and Investments as either an advisor or broker, and... Are you a high achiever? Do you have passion? Drive? Do you want to be innovative? Do you love to build relationships and educate? Are you interested in other cultures? Do you challenge yourself to continue to grow and develop? Then we are looking for you!

    Become a pioneer within our newly developed and growing presence in the Canadian market by becoming a Canadian Investment Counselor.
    *The Opportunity:*

    As an Investment Counselor, you will be the face and voice of our client. You will spend your time on an assigned roster of high-net-worth clients, educating them on our top-down investment philosophy, explaining why we’ve made certain decisions for their particular portfolio, and helping them understand events in the market. Your sole mission is to help your clients stay on track with their long-term financial goals.

    *The Day-to-Day:*

    When you come to work for us as an Investment Counselor, we provide you with an arsenal of support, including:

    * An advanced finance and capital markets education through our training and mentoring program, allowing you to learn how our firm is different from our competitors and why that gives us a competitive advantage
    * Internal portfolio decision-makers and auxiliary research teams who handle the portfolio itself, meaning you can focus on providing unparalleled customer service. You’re free to take off your “many hats” and become an expert in client relationship management and education
    * Ongoing career development, empowering you to discover your own career path
    * Opportunities for advancement driven by performance and attitude
    * Competitive compensation that aligns your interest with the client’s, instead of working against each other

    *Your Qualifications:*

    * CFA (any level)
    * A thorough understanding of the investment industry
    * A desire to develop longstanding relationships as opposed to selling products or trading accounts
    * A tremendous desire to explore new opportunities and challenges
    * Client-focused

    Don’t miss it, though, these are coveted positions within the firm and tend to fill fast. Take your career to the next level and apply today!

    *Why Our Client:*
    From unmatched service to innovative perspectives on investing, it’s the people that make our client’s purpose possible. After all, it’s their people that enable them to offer the level of service that we do. And they invest in them accordingly, offering exceptional benefits like:

    * 100% coverage of premiums for health, vision and dental insurance
    * A 50% 401(k) match, up to the IRS maximum
    * 20 days of PTO\*, plus 9 paid holidays
    * 8 week paid Primary Caregiver Parental Leave
    * And much, much more

    They also provide a cumulative, continuous learning and development framework customized for every employee. This emphasis on personal and professional growth has yielded an award-winning work environment; we’re Great Place to Work Certified, and The Oregonian named us as a Top Workplace.
  5. Post your job

    To find the right investment counselor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with investment counselors they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit investment counselors who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your investment counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit investment counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit investment counselors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new investment counselor

    Once you've selected the best investment counselor candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new investment counselor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an investment counselor?

Hiring an investment counselor comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting investment counselors involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of investment counselor recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $120,817 per year for an investment counselor, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for investment counselors in the US typically range between $32 and $102 an hour.

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