Guide and CV template for Paraplanners and IFA administrators

On average, a hiring manager spends about 6 to 7 seconds reviewing a CV initially. This glance is often used to assess whether the candidate’s experience, skills, and qualifications align with the job requirements.

If your CV makes it through this initial screening, it could receive a more detailed review, which, for a paraplanner or IFA administrator CV might last several minutes.

This guide is designed to help your CV pass the initial scan and then offer the detailed information a hiring manager needs to move your application to the next stage.

Paraplanner IFA administrator CV-1 Download

Paraplanner IFA administrator CV-2 Download

1. Your Name and Job Title:

Start by entering your name and most recent job title. If your latest job title is unconventional, use a standard industry title instead.
For example, if you are a paraplanner but your title is “Client Relationship Manager,” use “Paraplanner” to ensure your CV passes the initial scan

2. Contact Details:

Include your phone number, email address, location, and LinkedIn profile on your CV. For your location, if you prefer not to share your full address, at least mention your nearest town so employers can estimate travel time.
Tip: If you subsequently change your name on LinkedIn to include qualifications, update the link on your CV as it will change.

3. Your professional profile:

Think of your personal profile as an “executive summary”. It should provide the reader with a clear understanding of your level of experience, the highest relevant qualifications achieved, and the type of role you’re seeking, all without requiring them to read further.
Avoid using generic phrases like “work well as part of a team or as an individual”—these add unnecessary bulk to your CV and make it harder for the hiring manager to grasp who you really are.
Example: I’ve worked within the financial services industry for over 5 years, with 2 years of this being spent as an administrator within a financial advisory practice. I’m keen to use the skills I’ve acquired and to progress into an independent practice.

4. Education:

Detail your educational background, especially your professional financial advice or mortgage exams, but also include degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework.
If you have them, put your professional qualificaitons first – they are most likely to be relevant for the hiring manager.
Highlight academic achievements or projects that demonstrate your skills and dedication.

5. Skills & Systems:

In the Skills and Systems section, it’s crucial to list your key competencies, as this area is often reviewed during the initial glance at your CV. For administrators, it’s important to list skills such as “customer contact”, “handling the LOA process”, “processing new business”, and “communicating with providers”. Paraplanners should focus on “report writing”, “research”, “tax calculations”, and “annual reviews”— a skill that can also be relevant for administrators.
Additionally, name the specific systems you’ve used, particularly those related to back office, cashflow, research tools (e.g. FE Analytics and Selectapension), and report writing (e.g. Genovo). This will help demonstrate your technical proficiency and industry experience.
Tailor this section to match the job description, ordering skills and systems relevant to the role.

6. Work Experience:

List your work history in reverse chronological order (most recent first). N.B. Remember those first 7 seconds? Checking the title of the latest role and the dates of the role are likely to be the last parts of the initial check!
For roles that are irrelevant, either because they fall outside the financial services industry or are from over 20 years ago, it’s sufficient to list just the job title, company, and dates.
For each relevant role within this section you want to expand upon the skills and system you listed previously.

Paraplanner roles:
- Include the type of reports written and what approximate percentage of these reports were investment / pension / protection or mortgage advice. Include the parts of the advice process you were involved in and the systems used.

Administrator roles
- Include the type of products your duties related to including the systems used.

Extra duties
- Include these where these are more specialised to the financial services industry and enhance your experiences, such as “The only paraplanner of the investment committee”
- Exclude those where they could be applied across any industry, such as “Order stationary for the team”.

8. Customisation for Each Job Application:

Tailor your CV for each job application. Adjust keywords, skills, and experiences to align with the specific job requirements and company culture.

9. Formatting and Proofreading:

Ensure consistency in font style, size, and formatting throughout your CV. Use bullet points and white space to improve readability.
Proofread meticulously and use spell and grammar check to eliminate typos and grammatical errors. IMPORTANT: Many employers will review your CV like they would a report, so show them your best work.

10. References:

Optionally, mention that references are available upon request. Avoid listing specific references on your CV unless explicitly asked.

11. CV Length:

Aim for a concise CV that succinctly presents your most relevant information. Ideally, keep it to one page, trying to limit to a maximum of two pages unless you have extensive experience.

12. Conclusion:

By tailoring your CV for each application and following these steps, you’ll craft a strong document that highlights your qualifications and experiences effectively. A well-crafted CV is key to making a lasting impression on potential employers and securing opportunities.

If you’d like additional help or want us to review your CV, just fill out the form, and we’ll get in touch with you.