There are only 2 methods to attract quality planners to your practice:
1. Recruit them yourself by spending time building a pool of potential
candidates. You then get to know them and build mutual trust, and after 3, 6
or even 12 months, some of them will join you.
The best way to meet your pool is at industry functions and conferences.
Another way is to run a series of ads in the trade press, inviting people to
‘commence a dialogue’ with you. A single ad is unlikely to be effective, and
does not send a ‘we are committed’ message.
Some practice or regional managers have made an art form out of this, such
as industry veteran Peter Fysh of Financial Services Partners. He would be
the first to acknowledge that his success comes after significant time and
effort. However, many dealer groups are simply too short term focused to
make this investment.
We would recommend that all practices follow this pool approach, as it is
low cost and will deliver quality planners. However, if your need is more
urgent, or your time is scarce or if you need more than 1 or 2 planners,
then…
2. Form a trust based partnership with a specialist planning recruitment
consultant. There is simply no point in briefing multiple agencies – you
will just get ‘disgruntled bank planners’ sent to you!
Again, don’t expect quick results from this method, though it’s more likely
with an experienced partner than if you work on your own.
This advice to work with a consultant begs the question of how you find a
partner you can trust? There are well over a hundred ‘consultants’ trying to
do planning recruitment in Sydney, probably about a hundred in Melbourne,
and proportionately similar numbers elsewhere.