In recent years, there has been a great deal of confusion among retail investors about where to park their money. There has been a great deal of instability since the end of the Great Recession, and with capital from quantitative easing distorting the market, it is hard to know what a good investment play is anymore.

Employing the services of a quality financial advisor is more important than ever, as their in-depth knowledge of the industry can help you invest your hard-earned cash where it will gain healthy long-term returns. Here’s what you should be looking for when shopping for their services.

Plenty of experience in the financial industry

This point may seem a little unfair to those just getting started in the financial industry, but if you are looking for expert guidance, there is no replacement for experience. Those that have been in the industry for decades rather than years have had a chance to experience the ups and downs of the market.

As a result, they don’t get rattled with every time the Dow Jones Industrial undergoes a correction. If you trust the advice of experienced professionals such as David Barcomb, your money will be in good hands.

A willingness to listen

Every client has unique needs. If a financial advisor is rattling off all the funds that you should be investing in without asking you anything beyond the superficial questions every finance professional asks, you may want to back slowly out of their office and not come back.

People like that are more interested in racking up commissions rather than helping you reach your financial goals. A good financial advisor will sit and listen as you explain your hopes and dreams for the future.

In doing this, they will be able to craft a strategy that will help you make them a reality as soon as humanly possible.

They take a long term approach to investing

Hey, we get it… We would love it too if we could turn $1,000 into a million bucks in a year. However, this isn’t possible unless you get lucky, plain and simple. A quality financial advisor is well attuned to the realities of investing. They understand that the market goes up over time, but it does so through a series of ups and downs that may see it gain 6% one year, and then drop 2% the next.

They know that wisely invested capital can grow over the course of decades from a relatively small amount to a sum that can help you enjoy a comfortable retirement, as well as fund other dreams that require years of disciplined saving.

A commitment to continual learning

The theory that underpins the fundamentals of solid investing aren’t like physics (at least not yet). Each year, knowledge is uncovered that helps diligent professionals improve their ability to create wealth for their clients.

Additionally, new sectors of the economy emerge constantly, while others decline and collapse. By staying on top of the latest trends in business, a good financial advisor will be able to recommend the re-allocation of some of your investment capital into areas that will protect you from loss, as well as supercharging your earning as the years go by.