1st Year @ Crest

     2nd & 3rd Year @ Crest

     4th Year @ Crest

     5 Years & Beyond

Crest Financial Services Pty Ltd and the Graduate Program

Crest Financial Services is a professional Financial Services Practice offering a wide range of advice in relation to all aspects of Financial Planning, including: Investments, Gearing Strategies, Shares, Managed Investments, Retirement Planning, Estate Planning, Superannuation, Insurance, Taxation Planning and Income Protection.
Our professional financial planners are Authorised Representatives of Charter Financial Planning and maintain a high degree of personal education to ensure that our clients receive the most up to date advice available. Our office is supported by associated accounting services in the following regions, Newcastle, Maitland and Nelson Bay and is continuing to expand within the Newcastle and Hunter Valley region.

In 2006, Crest was acknowledged as a Certified Quality Advice Practice and continues to maintain this status today.

Combined, Crest employees have more than 160 years of experience in delivering financial advice and services to assist people in meeting their goals. The aim of the Graduate program is to utilise this experience in developing the skills and understanding of upcoming graduates.

The Crest Graduate Program is an excellent opportunity for graduates looking to kick start their career in the Financial Planning industry. Crest provides hands on training and development in the industry while allowing graduates to complete their studies and gain professional qualifications recognised in the industry.

To be successful in obtaining and succeeding at this program, you need to be hard working and have a willingness to grow and develop. Crest also seeks attributes of exceptional organisation and communication skills, a professional presentation and attitude, a high degree of confidentiality, enthusiasm, productivity and initiative and the ability to work and contribute to a truly dynamic team.

The graduate program offers attractive salaries and incentives for those who strive to achieve. The benefit of the program is you can excel as far as you desire. Hard work


First Year at Crest Financial Services Pty Ltd

In the first year of working at Crest, employees are encouraged/required to continue to complete their degree on a part-time basis (if applicable) whilst working at Crest. The commencement of study for the Diploma of Financial Planning is also required to further progress within this industry. (Within reasonable timeframes dependant on study commitments).

Crest encourages its employees to achieve the goal of completing their degree with flexi-time arrangements and other incentives available at their disposal.

New graduates generally begin employment at Crest working in an Administration position. This position is an excellent start to develop basic skills and enables the employee to learn many aspects of the financial planning industry.

The role involves learning the fundamentals of processing new applications for Insurance, Investments, Superannuation as well as day to day administration of client's policies and portfolios. Employees will learn how to submit employer and personal contribution cheques to the respective fund manager, draft documents for Advisers, answer incoming calls, assisting in handling client enquiries and assist the Advisers with any work they may require to be completed.

New employees are assigned a mentor and will be provided with a range of training to help develop their knowledge and skills of both the practice and industry.

Upon starting a new role within the practice, key result areas for achievement are developed and time frames set. An employees performance and development is measured by the achievement of these key result areas:


Remuneration for new employees with no financial industry experience is based on the Clerical & Administrative Employees (state award) rate - Grade 1
Salary review - after the typical 3 month probation period, employees shall have their salary reviewed and discussed based on work performed, development, achievement of key result areas and improvement of skills
Employees are given the opportunity to provide feedback to the company in regards to all aspects of their role and the business on a half yearly basis in the form of a staff review. This process involves completing an internal standard review form with various questions in relation to workloads, staff relationships and key performance areas, business development and improvement.

With successful achievement of key result areas and proven development and enthusiasm within this role in the first year, an employee may be able to be promoted to the next level in their second year of this traineeship. (This will also be dependent on positions available within the practice at the time of completion).

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Second and Third Year at Crest Financial Services Pty Ltd


Within the 2nd and 3rd years working at Crest the opportunity to be promoted to a junior paraplanning position is available

This position requires a strong understanding of the administration processes as well as basic understanding of the preparation and creation of tailored financial planning documents and a variety of software (including visipland and quotation software). The ability to work cohesively and efficiently within the administration and paraplanning teams is critical for this position.

Graduates in this position will need to have good understanding of the products that Crest implements such as Life, TPD and IP policies along with Superannuation policies from various fund managers Crest utilises. The graduate will develop skills in investment research and management of investment databases.

An understanding of legal and legislative issues is also important as this knowledge continues to be developed within this role.

As part of development, it is expected that graduates will join various internal committees and contribute ideas and skills to the development of practices within our organisation.

Graduates may be offered salary packaging incentives after their first 12 months at the discretion of management. (This may include items such as laptops for example)
Salary reviews continue as graduates excel and acquire valuable skills and knowledge as well as enthusiasm and effort and working relationships with the other staff at Crest.
Staff reviews will continue and a greater level of contribution will be expected. Again graduates are given the opportunity to express their ideas for development both personally and for the practice as well as to express any concerns.
During this period, it is expected that the graduate will have completed university degrees and be focused on Diploma of Financial Planning studies. Other training will also be provided as required. This will consist of both in house and fund manager training and development programs.

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Fourth Year at Crest Financial Services Pty Ltd


Within the 4th year working at Crest there may be an opportunity to be promoted to a more senior Paraplanning position for those who have shown great initiative and achievements.

This position as a Paraplanner requires an outstanding understanding of Administration and Paraplanning duties that are completed at Crest Financial Services. You will be required to help develop skills of less experienced paraplanners and show high levels of leadership and enthusiasm. Senior Paraplanners are required to have up to date knowledge of the products available and the processes required of them.

The incentive of this position is the opportunity of higher salary and commission from initial Advisersy activities and the promotion of Crest with clients and associates. This means that when new referrals are bought to Crest and fees have been received for the financial advice, the graduate responsible for the completed referral shall receive a commission based on the balance of the new clients portfolio invested with Crest.

Skills are further developed with the legal and legislative knowledge. Diploma of Financial Planning should be in the final stages and consideration to commence the CFP program discussed. This shall ensure a strong and comprehensive knowledge of the skills needed to be a highly specialised Financial Paraplanner and within Crest Financial Services also ensures strong preliminary training for those keen to become an Advisers.

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Five Years and Beyond working with Crest Financial Services Pty Ltd


After the 5th year a graduate at Crest may have the opportunity to become a newly appointed Financial Advisers, as positions become available. The requirements for this to be achieved is to have completed the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning and have become a financial planner. There are a number of requirements set out that must be met before an employee can become an authorised representative.

The potential income that comes from this position is based on a commercial base salary for your employment and an attractive and potentially unlimited performance based bonus incentive.

Long Term Equity Opportunities

For selected graduates that have proven to be successful and become an intrinsic part of the team, an opportunity to obtain equity may be available. This will be dependant on availability of equity and will only be offered to those employees who have truly excelled and who continually strive to improve the business.

Crest Financial Services Pty Ltd has a continued desire to provide opportunities for the right graduate to grow, develop and expand their horizons in working at this firm.

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