The first conversation with a prospective advisor is usually 30 to 60 minutes. It's the interview. Bring questions. Take notes. Don't be the one being sold to.
The five questions.
1. "Walk me through a typical client. What does their year with you look like?"
Tells you about their process. Good answers are specific: quarterly reviews, annual deep-dives, proactive contact on life events. Vague answers suggest there isn't much process.
2. "How do you get paid, and what's the all-in cost I'd pay you, as a percentage?"
Gives you one number to compare with anyone else. If they can't or won't give you one, that itself is an answer.
3. "What kind of client do you work best with?"
Invites honesty about fit. An advisor who works best with high-net-worth retirees probably isn't the right fit for someone just starting. An advisor who says "anyone" isn't thinking about fit at all.
4. "Tell me about a client situation that didn't go well, and what you learned."
Separates thoughtful practitioners from salespeople. People who've genuinely grown will have an answer. People who don't have one, don't reflect much.
5. "What do you expect me to do to make this relationship work?"
Signals whether they see the relationship as a partnership or a transaction. Good answers involve reading, asking questions, bringing you up to speed on big life changes. "Just sign the forms and we'll do the rest" is a red flag.
How to listen.
Note three things as you listen: whether they answer the question you asked (or the one they wish you'd asked), whether they get specific with examples, and how they make you feel. That last one is underrated. Good advisors tend to make you feel both respected and slightly challenged. Bad ones either flatter you or talk over you.
Trust the data from this conversation. It's the most you'll know before you commit.