Financial-services hiring has moved up the seniority scale. Where firms once recruited broadly across experience levels, the demand now concentrates on qualified, regulated professionals who can advise clients and carry accountability from day one.
That pattern shows in the government's own analysis of sector shortages. In financial services, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) level 6 and above roles, rather than the level 3 to 5 roles that sit below them GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report. In plain terms, firms are chasing degree-equivalent and professionally qualified people, not entry-level hires.
For brokers, this matters. Advice roles that meet regulatory standards are exactly the ones appointed representative (AR) networks help smaller firms field, so the competition for that senior talent is intense and getting sharper.
An AR network lets a smaller firm operate under the regulatory umbrella of a larger, directly authorised principal. The principal owns the compliance framework and the permissions; the AR firm focuses on winning and serving clients. That structure changes who firms hire and why.
Because the principal absorbs much of the compliance load, AR firms can spend their hiring budget on client-facing, revenue-generating people: mortgage and protection advisers, general insurance brokers, and paraplanners who prepare the technical work behind advice. These are the higher-qualified roles the sector is prioritising, in line with the shortage analysis pointing to demand at RQF level 6 and above GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report.
The dynamic cuts both ways. AR status lowers the barrier for a new broker firm to launch and start recruiting, which widens the pool of employers competing for the same advisers. So the roles are clearer, but the contest for the right person is tougher.
Start with the qualification bar. Because demand sits at RQF level 6 and above GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, define the exact permissions and qualifications a role needs before you write the advert. It saves everyone time and keeps your shortlist relevant.
Move quickly. Senior, qualified advisers get approached often, so a slow process loses the best people. Book interviews early, keep feedback tight, and treat the first conversation as a two-way sell.
Be clear about the network structure. If you are an AR firm, explain how the principal's compliance framework supports the adviser day to day. Good people want to know they can focus on clients without carrying the whole regulatory burden themselves.
Finally, screen for fit as well as credentials. Regulated advice depends on judgement and client trust, so look for people who communicate clearly and handle accountability well, not just those who tick the qualification box.
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