[inishowen]

IMO, get the CFP first, try RE investing as a side thing.

The CFP designation does have value, my guess is you'd always be employable, and if nothing else it teaches you how money works in the real world, which for a recent grad, is very valuable.

A most likely career track would be to start working for an established CFP due to the difficulty of building a client base. Cold calling I think is pretty much done in the industry, it's more marketing meetings after mass mailings or newspaper ads, or, do you have contacts already?

CFP commissions are not based on transactions like a stockbroker, but are tied to assets under management. I think the average management fee is 2.5%, or $25k gross/million under management. That $25k is not net as you will have various expenses and a payout based on your production. Let's say your payout is $18k net/million, you'd need 4-5 million under management to equal the salary of a decent entry level position.

This all said, a 40 year old CFP with a ton of assets under management, makes a lot of money (without working too hard). His book becomes basically annuitized.

Google "Commonwealth Financial Network". They are the leader in the independent CFP market. Find a local CFP and set up a meeting to pick his/her brain. I'm positive you'll get something out of it.