Career Options You Can Pursue if You Have a Degree in Finance

If you think finance is just about counting dollars and keeping track of how much money comes in or goes out, you’ve got it all wrong. In the ever-evolving financial industry, an individual with a degree in finance has immense scope in terms of growth and opportunities.

So, let’s take a deeper look at the jobs you can get with a finance degree.

This is one of the most lucrative career options for someone with a degree in finance. As a financial analyst, you would be required to collect and analyze financial data so as to guide the investment decisions of your employer.

You could be employed by an individual, a corporate company, a non-profit organization, or even the government. The job profile of a financial analyst also includes…

• Identifying and overcoming investment challenges by recommending the best course of action
• Keeping abreast of investment avenues and market trends in your area of specialization

If you want to become a financial analyst, you would need a bachelor’s degree in finance at the very least or a degree in similar subjects such as statistics or economics.

With rapid advancements in digital payments and crypto, fintech businesses are mushrooming and growing faster than ever before. These businesses are always on the lookout for skilled professionals as there is still a dearth of individuals who understand finance well, and are also highly passionate about technology.

This is why being a Fintech Business Analyst is considered a lucrative career option for finance degree holders. As a fintech business analyst, you are required to…

• Identify and prioritize a fintech company’s functional and technical needs and requirements
• Create a financial model to support business decisions
• Analyze large data sets using data management tools
• Present this data visually with the help of charts, tables, graphs etc.
• Forecast, budget, and execute variance and financial analysis, and
• Plan enterprise architecture i.e the structure of a business from a financial perspective

Investment banking is one of the most prestigious professions in the financial world. Investment bankers are majorly responsible for all tasks related to financial remodeling. Their work involves…

• Working with diverse data and statistical numbers
• Introducing financial decisions that improve business operations, and
• Providing insightful suggestions with regard to financial markets and economic trends

Investment bankers are usually very well-paid, making it all the more lucrative for a finance degree holder. Also, as most organizations need investment bankers to manage portfolios of high-network clients, this profession is here to stay and it’s unlikely that the demand for skilled professionals in this field would decline in the years to come.

Commercial banks provide a host of services to individuals and organizations such as savings and current account banking services, offering debit and credit cards and loan facilities. Managing these activities requires skilled professionals who can understand customer needs and product offerings that cater to said needs.

And if you’re a commercial banker, you’re going to be doing just that, and a lot more. As a commercial banker, your primary responsibility is to…

• Maintain cordial relationships with the bank’s existing customers
• Offer product solutions that cater to the customer’s needs
• Resolve any queries by offering prompt and effective solutions, and
• Find potential clients to keep the business running

In order to do this, you need to be proactive, pay attention to customer needs, and support existing customers to improve the bank’s daily operations.

Another popular career option for finance students is accounting. If you’re someone who likes to keep a consistent track of their money and is more economical than your peers, then this job could be perfect for you. Generally employed by companies and individuals, accountants are required to…

• Deal with financial issues like preparing profit and loss statements, accounting reports, and key information for annual reports, plus other financial tasks
• Assist in taxation, analyzing profit and loss of the company, budgeting, and detecting fraud

To become an accountant, certain skills such as attention to detail, good communication skills, and a knack for conveying complex financial information to colleagues, senior management, and clients are good to have.

If you are someone who thrives under pressure and excels when the environment is highly competitive, then you must consider becoming a stock broker or a financial trader.

As a stock trader, you could choose to work for yourself or for a firm where you would be

• Buying and selling stocks
• Buying and selling bonds, futures, and other financial instruments

Stock trading requires a bold and dynamic personality as it is a fast-paced and high-pressure industry. Choose this profession only if you’re comfortable with working long hours that usually begin early with the opening of international markets and end much later.

Some good skills to be a stockbroker are self-discipline, drive to achieve and excel, and good communication skills.

Lastly, external auditing is another career option that has a wide scope of growth in the financial world. Here’s what external auditors usually do

• Examine financial records and other data
• Provide businesses, investors, and regulators a clear idea of how they’re performing, and
• Advise and recommend areas of improvement

Auditing can include two distinctive areas – a financial audit, where the auditor examines the company’s financial records and yearly statements, and a corporate audit where auditors help firms solve specific business problems.

For many years now, working in finance has been a prestigious and respectable profession. This is why many young individuals are skewed towards gaining a professional degree in this field to learn more and earn well.

If you too are inclined toward finance, the scope of employment, growth, and success is endless. Consider your options well before you choose to walk down a particular career path.

If you’re considering a degree in finance, here are a few career options that you must consider:

• You could become a financial analyst if you like analyzing and finding solutions for large data sets.
• Fintech business analysis is a lucrative option, considering recent advancements in digital payments and cryptocurrency.
• Investment banking has been and still is, one of the most lucrative career options in the field of finance.
• The need for skills and effective commercial bankers is also on the rise.
• If you like analyzing the revenue, profit, and loss of a company, you could even consider becoming an accountant.
• If you’re a risk taker, then stock broking or financial trading is a good career choice for you.
• Lastly, you could consider auditing as it’s a career option that is quite in demand.