Salary, company culture and quality management drive perceived job satisfaction. Students and professionals agreed on the top three things they are looking for in an employer. However, the groups placed these three reasons as to why they would choose one employer over another in different orders. The majority (more than 40 percent) of student respondents said salary and opportunity for advancement is the main driver of job satisfaction.

Skilled professionals and students emphasize the importance of interpersonal skills. Professionals (91 percent) and students (78 percent) agree that mastering interpersonal communication must be a top priority. Both groups rank technical knowledge of financial planning content, prospecting/marketing skills and financial planning technology skills as the three next most important skillsets.

Students ranked financial planning technology skills the second most important skill, while professionals placed a much greater emphasis on the importance of technical knowledge of financial planning content.

Perceived communication gaps and entry barriers exist. A communication gap between generations in the industry exists and was a concern highlighted by both groups. Nearly one-third of professionals, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or firm type, experience communication challenges with new financial planning professionals entering the industry.

Forty-five percent of students are worried about potential communication challenges with their future employers. There also is a gap in terms of perceived and real barriers to entry into the industry.

"The results of this survey support the idea of professionals counseling the students to help them better understand what is expected of them once they enter the working world," the survey report concluded.