Complete a finance-related internship to build skills and learn about the work environment.
Seek leadership roles in campus organizations such as treasurer.
Develop strong computer skills, including spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software.
Sharp analytical skills are crucial in this industry.
Earn an MBA to reach the highest levels of corporate finance.
Learn another language to prepare for international opportunities.
Banking
Corporate credit analysis
Commercial and industrial lending
Trust and private wealth management
Capital services and mergers & acquisitions
Mortgage loans
Loan origination and packaging
Branch management
Operations
Cash management
Credit scoring and risk management
Financial analysis
Private banking
Employers
Commercial banks
Credit unions
Savings and loan associations
Savings banks
Mortgage banks
Captive finance companies
Regulatory agencies:
Federal Reserve
Federal Deposit Corporation
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Office Thrift Supervision
Strategies
Gain a solid background in business including marketing and accounting.
Get experience through part-time, summer, or internship positions in a financial service firm.
Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills in order to work well with a diverse clientele.
Insurance
Claims analysis
Underwriting
Risk management
Sales
Actuarial science
Loss control
Employers
Life insurance firms
Property and casualty insurance firms
Commercial banks
Savings banks
Strategies
Complete an internship with an insurance agency.
Talk to professionals in the industry to learn more about claims, underwriting, and risk management. Many good, entry-level positions exist in these areas.
Initiative and sales ability are necessary to be a successful agent or broker.
Develop strong communication skills, as many positions require interaction with others and the ability to explain information clearly and concisely.
Take additional statistics classes to prepare for a career in actuary science. Prepare to take the first in a series of actuarial examinations.
Personal Financial Planning
Sales
Customer service
Operations
Portfolio management
Financial advising
Insurance advising
Employers
Brokerage firms
Trust companies
Financial partnerships
Multi-line insurance firms
Sole practitioner
Strategies
Gain experience in sales.
Demonstrate a highly motivated and entrepreneurial personality.
Research how one obtains the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation.
Develop a solid personal network.
Real Estate
Residential brokerage
Commercial sales
Appraisals
Property management
Real estate portfolio management
Employers
Real estate brokers
Commercial banks
Appraisal firms
Apartment and condominium complexes
Developers
Large corporations: real estate departments
Real estate investment trusts
Mutual funds
Strategies
Obtain sales experience through part-time, summer or internship positions.
Research how to become a real estate broker through the National Association of Realtors.
Develop an entrepreneurial spirit.
Research apprenticeships in appraisal.
Investment Banking
Corporate financial analysis
Mergers and acquisitions
Equity and debt
Underwriting
Institutional bond and equity sales
Retail bond and equity sales
Business valuation
Business sale transactions
Currency trading
Derivatives (e.g., options)
Trading
Venture capital fund management
New venture analysis
Hedge fund management
Employers
Investment banking firms (Changes in laws have created a fluid situation in this industry; Mergers and acquisitions continue to take place.)
Financial services firms
Insurance firms (The Gramm Leach Bliley Act of 1999 allowed financial services firms to acquire or build investment banking subsidiaries and vice versa.)
Commercial banks (Due to shifts in federal regulations, more commercial banks are adding investment activity.)
Strategies
An MBA is required to move beyond the entry-level analyst position in investment banking. Investment banking is highly competitive.
Be prepared to work many hours of overtime per week, start at the bottom, and pay your dues.
Develop strong analytical and communication skills.
Cultivate personal ambitiousness.
Join a campus-based investment club.
Obtain a Series 7 License for both institutional and retail broker sales positions.
Work toward the CFA designation.
Money Management
Research
Trading
Marketing
Portfolio management
Hedge fund management
Employers
Portfolio management firms
Commercial banks
Investment banks
Federal Reserve banks
Insurance firms
Strategies
Most positions require an advanced degree in economics, finance or business and many years of financial experience.
Accounting
Corporate or Government:
Financial management
Financial reporting
Cost accounting
Tax planning
Research
Employers
Companies of various sizes, in all industries
Federal agencies and departments:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service
Department of the Treasury
Office of Management and Budget
Securities Exchange Commission
State and local agencies
Federal Reserve banks
Insurance firms
Strategies
Sometimes opportunities in accounting exist in government and corporate settings for finance students.
Take more than the required amount of accounting classes to supplement finance curriculum.
Maintain a strong GPA.
Complete an internship in a government agency and become familiar with the government application process to work in the public sector.
General Information
Quantitative skills are extremely important in finance. Take additional courses in math, statistics, and accounting.
Many positions in finance require the ability to analyze and interpret data.
Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills. Cultivate an eye for detail.
Gain experience through internships, summer and part-time positions.
Read the Wall Street Journal and other financial news magazines to stay abreast of current events and to learn more about the industry.
Join student professional associations in the field of finance and seek leadership roles.
Several professional designations and licenses, (e.g., Chartered Financial Analyst or Certified Financial Planner), are available to finance professionals working in a particular area. Earning these designations may help one obtain advanced positions.
