Nature Of Work of Finance Professionals
A career in finance involves a whole range of functions, such as determining the impact of decisions that are made in nearly all functional areas on the financial front. This includes administering portfolios and formulating personal financial plans for investors, supervising banking operations, evaluating and suggesting company’s capital budgets and strengthening bank relationships.
Professionals engaged in the finance industry deal with how individuals and institutions handle their financial resources, the methods they use to raise money, its allocation, and how they use it. They also assess the risks these activities involve, and recommend various ways of managing them.
Occupations in Finance
The finance sector has a wide range of occupations to choose from. You can become a portfolio or credit manager, security analyst, opt for the insurance sector, or become a corporate financial officer, financial consultant or lending officer. Below are some of the additional roles that you can pursue:
-Bank Manager
-Financial Analyst
-Accountant And Auditor
-Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate
-Budget Analyst
-Claim Adjuster
-Examiner
-Investigator
-Cost Estimator
-Tax Examiner
-Revenue Agent
Job Opportunities in Finance
The job opportunities in the financial sector are equally vast and varied, a few of which are given here. All of them offer a highly rewarding and satisfying career.
Commercial Banking – The commercial banking sector employs a greater number of finance professionals than any other area of the financial services industry. Jobs in the banking industry have a direct client interface with people from all sections of the society, which offers opportunities for clientele development. The starting point would be as tellers, after which people shift to other areas of banking services like credit card banking, trade credit, leasing and international finance.
Corporate Finance – This would involve employment in a corporation, generally as a finance officer. The main job responsibilities would entail securing financial resources for developing the business of the company. The money can be utilized to make acquisitions to expand the company and secure its future.
Financial Planning Consultancy – You may set up a financial planning consultancy of your own or seek employment in an existing one. This work involves helping individuals in planning their finances for their children’s education, or their retirement needs. It requires answering questions and educating clients about risk factors, to help them to invest their money wisely. Being employed in a corporate setting is also an option, with a job profile related to future financial planning. It would require a firm understanding of investments, estate and tax planning.
Investment Banking – Investment banking pertains to helping investors in buying, trading and managing financial assets. This field offers opportunities to work in world-renowned investment banks like Salomon Smith Barney, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch.
Insurance – The insurance industry has achieved revenues of over trillion dollars. It is one field that has tremendous scope of absorbing finance professionals. The work is mainly about managing risks and identifying problem areas. According to estimates, it employed nearly two and a half million people in the U.S. in the year 2005. One could work as an underwriter, customer service representative, actuary or an asset manager, in this sector.
A career in finance can be pursued in a wide variety of fields. The financial sector offers opportunities that are intellectually and financially rewarding.
