Gen Z Has Entered the Chat: Breaking into Independent Financial Services

The independent financial services industry is confronting a significant demographic reality. Advisors are retiring in large numbers each year, and not enough young talent is available to replace them, even as the demand for financial guidance climbs.

To help solve the problem, we have launched FinancialCareers.org, a new online platform that introduces students, recent graduates and career changers to opportunities in the profession while offering firms a streamlined way to connect with emerging talent.

In addition to the new site, earlier this year, we invited dozens of aspiring advisors, with support from FinServ Foundation, to experience the profession firsthand at our annual OneVoice conference. Many of those students came away energized but also candid about the challenges of breaking into the field.

Their feedback helped shape the resources the portal now provides, including job listings, resume reviews, coaching, training tools and educational content that highlights the many different entry points into the industry.

Opening Eyes to a Broader Profession

For Valentyna Voloshyna, a student at Winthrop University, the path into financial services began with her own journey as an immigrant.

“When I moved to the U.S., I realized I had so much to learn about its financial system,” she said. “Things like 401(k) plans, investing and the idea that wealth can be built with knowledge. I wanted to understand how I could make a better life for myself in this new country by understanding finances. That curiosity led me to study financial planning, and I soon realized it could be more than just personal knowledge.”

Now that she’s gotten a taste of it, her view of the industry has evolved dramatically after initially having a narrow view of the possibilities.

“I thought it was just a choice between corporate finance or financial planning,” Voloshyna explained. “But as I got more involved, I realized it’s so much more diverse.”

She credits the network she’s built—an effort bolstered by attending OneVoice 2025—for helping her see a wider array of possibilities.

“The more people I meet, the more I learn, and the more doors open up,” she said. “I’ve already had internships come through connections I never would have made otherwise.”

A Generation Driven by Purpose

Victoria O’Tool, a University of Alabama student, says her interest in the field started with her family’s financial journey.

“From an early age, my parents made it a priority to involve me in conversations about family finances, the stock market and the broader economy,” she said. “On both sides of my family, poor financial habits were common until my dad broke the cycle.”

She has since become an advocate for financial literacy, including everything from leading workshops on the topic at her high school to growing Alabama’s financial planning club.

“These experiences have shown me how fulfilling a career in this field can be, and that this work truly changes lives,” said O’Tool, who is executive director of the FinServ Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to foster talent in the financial services sector.

But she also points to barriers the profession needs to address if it wants to attract top talent.

“I didn’t anticipate how many entry-level roles start with very low pay,” she said. “That’s a real challenge for students like me who are on their own and don’t have family support to fall back on. It means some of the best candidates can’t afford to take certain jobs.”

Her perspective on the profession has shifted over time. At one time, she viewed her options as being a cold caller or someone who barks out orders on a Wall Street trading floor. Now, she knows better, even if there is some uncertainty about what the future holds.

“I didn’t expect how broad and complex it would be,” she said, referring to the industry. “I’ve learned there’s no single roadmap for becoming a financial planner, and the ways you can structure a practice, the variety of firm types and the different client approaches make the industry both exciting and difficult to navigate.”

Technology, Training and Mentorship

Emeri Johnson, a student at Utah Valley University, says her early interest in finances grew out of noticing how money shaped family dynamics.

“I began saving for college in middle school and was curious why some of my friends had expenses covered while others didn’t,” she said. “That curiosity led me to invest early and explore questions on behalf of my peers. Over time, finances just became part of my identity.”

Her biggest challenge has been the transition from classroom theory to real-world practice.

“There’s a natural gap between new and seasoned advisors, and it can be discouraging when you don’t feel equipped with the right tools,” she said. “College builds a strong foundation, but it doesn’t always teach the softer skills, like explaining complex topics in simple ways to clients who don’t have a financial background.”

Johnson is also quick to highlight the generational advantage she and her peers bring.

“As AI and other tools evolve, advisors who ignore them will get left behind,” she said. “My generation sees technology not as a threat but as another tool in our toolkit – it’s something that can streamline processes so we can work smarter, not just harder for our clients. And ultimately, we can focus more on the human side of advising.” 

Building a Bridge

By offering practical career tools alongside education about the breadth of opportunities in financial services, FinancialCareers.org is designed to serve as a bridge between students like Voloshyna, O’Tool and Johnson and the firms eager to hire them.

The portal reflects what many young professionals say they need most: a clear entry point, access to mentors, and a better understanding of the varied career paths the industry offers.

For FSI, the platform represents the next step in its push to engage younger generations, and for students, it could be the difference between seeing financial services as a closed industry and recognizing it as a dynamic, purpose-driven career.

As O’Tool put it: “Gen Z wants to be part of this industry. The question is—is the industry ready for us?”