The President’s List is in recognition of the CFP exam candidates who earned the three highest scores on any given sitting of the exam. Evan Verbeem, CFP, has earned the award. The following blog post, written by Evan, contains insights, strategies, and tips that may help you succeed if you decide to write the CFP exam.
Evan Verbeem is a Wealth Advisor at Thrive Wealth Strategies—Credential Securities. He chose financial planning because he was looking for a role where he could spend his whole career.
I enjoy being a trusted partner in the financial journey of my clients. I also appreciate the independence of my current role. That means being able to focus on the aspects that are important to me and being able to choose how to structure the services I provide.
Working Toward Certification was Always Part of the Plan
CFP certification is considered the gold standard in my mind—something every advisor should work towards. So, it was always part of my plan to get it someday.
Regular investors often know what CFP certification means. Having it is important, given that so many people are looking for it.
Getting Started in the Profession
My first job was in a support role in the wealth management department of a credit union. I got the job because I had proactively started working toward my securities licensing, doing the Canadian Securities Course before I had any sort of job.
This experience kick-started my learning. I also put the fact that I was working on the course on my resume. It led directly to my first job. So, my tip is, be proactive. Commit to the path you want to take.
Tips for Writing the CFP Exam
Here are a few things you may want to consider if you’re planning to write the CFP exam.
- Get an Early Start - Start studying sooner than you think you should, probably 4-6 months in advance. Doing it in a shorter timeframe could lead to cramming and burnout. There’s just such a large volume of information.
- Stay diligent - I put all my spare time into studying. First, I focused on getting a handle on the many multiple choice questions, and then I finished up with the long-answer ones.
- Find the Right Tools - Think about how you learn best and find study tools to support yourself. FP Canada’s Practice Exam is a good representation of what the exam is like, and it’s a nice way to learn where you might need to focus your last few weeks of study time. I also found the Gobeil software very helpful, as it helped me “test” myself.
Looking to take your exam prep to the next level? FP Canada has a variety of tools and resources, such as practice exams, that let you experience what it’s like to take the exam. Visit the exam tools section of our website to learn more.
