Is the FPA Irrelevant?

Both experienced and new planners express frustration on figuring out how to hire and manage a talented employee, or how to be good employees. Industry groups have dedicated much effort to building practice management and career development programs for new planners and experienced ones. But they jump right over the mid-level issues that are facing the profession.

Here’s an example. The FPA dedicates a considerable amount of time and funding to a career development Web site for new planners, and resources on finding a job, internships, and mentors. It has also spent a considerable amount of time helping planners build their practices through initiatives like the annual Moss-Adams/FPA Staffing and Compensation study. But there is virtually nothing from the FPA on practice management issues related to hiring, retaining, building a career track in your business, offering ownership in a business, or ways to manage and motivate employees. Nor is there anything on how to be productive in your job, add value to your firm, ask for ownership in the business, or on what constitutes a reasonable timeline to achieve advancement.