What's the state of financial-services hiring right now?

Financial services is hiring for depth, not just volume. The clearest signal comes from recent government analysis: in the financial services sector, recruitment was generally for roles at Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) level 6 and above, rather than the RQF 3 to 5 band GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report.

Why does that matter for protection teams? RQF 6+ is degree-equivalent and above, so employers are reaching for people who can carry regulated advice and judgement, not only process a sale. That raises the bar on who you hire, and it narrows the pool of people who already hold the right qualifications and experience.

How are protection roles changing from broker to adviser?

The old split was simple. A broker matched a client to a protection product and placed the cover. An adviser looked at the whole picture: income protection, critical illness, life cover, and how each piece fits a client's circumstances and the regulator's expectations.

That line is blurring. With hiring weighted towards RQF 6 and above roles rather than the RQF 3 to 5 band GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, the market is rewarding people who can hold a full advice conversation. Protection is becoming one strand of broader financial advice, and the job titles are catching up with that reality.

• Wider remit: protection sits alongside wider financial planning, not on its own.
• Higher qualification bar: demand skews to RQF 6+ roles rather than RQF 3 to 5.
• More judgement: advisers interpret client needs, not just place a product.
• Stronger compliance expectations: regulated advice carries more responsibility.

How do you hire well for protection advice?

Start with the real job, not the old label. If the role is genuinely advisory, write the brief around advice: the qualifications, the client conversations and the regulated judgement it needs. Given the pull towards RQF 6+ roles GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, be precise about which level you actually require, so you don't screen out capable people or oversell the role.

Then widen your view of a good fit. Someone with strong broking experience and a clear qualification path can grow into advice faster than you might expect. Look for curiosity, client empathy and the discipline to work inside a regulated framework. Test for those in interview, not just the certificate on the CV.

• Define the role by the advice it gives, then set the qualification level to match.
• Map a growth path so strong brokers can move into advisory work.
• Screen for client empathy and regulated judgement, not only paperwork.
• Move quickly: qualified advisers rarely stay on the market for long.

Where does the right hiring partner fit in?

When the right person is scarce and the brief is specific, speed and reach matter. We search a database of 15 million candidates and manage your recruitment end to end, so you can focus on choosing the right adviser rather than chasing applications. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Ready to build your protection team? Start your search with Reed.ai today.

Sources

• GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report