How to Start A Career In Finance
If you are interested in how numbers work, thrive off a fast-paced challenge, and love the idea of working in finance, you might be wondering how you can get your foot in the door.
There are a few ways you can work towards a successful career in finance, and this piece will show you how.
Accountancy
Accountancy is a common path to get into finance, and there are a few reasons for this. There is great job security in accountancy; you do not need a degree to get started, accountants are always in demand, and more often than not, you can have complete control over your own hours. It is not just down to crunching numbers all the time, either. Giving advice and building relationships is also part of the job, which is great for those who like their day broken up.
To become an accountant, you will need to complete a program to qualify; however, once it is complete, it will be globally recognised. You need to make sure you have suitable grades from GCSEs or equivalent to proceed with an accountancy course, and if not, you might have to go back and resit them to continue.
If you have questions about becoming an accountant, then why not email a friendly and well-established company such as Omer & Company to ask any questions you might have?
Banking
Banking is another career path that is focused on finance, and there are so many roles to choose from that you should be able to find something that suits you.
A few roles you could look at include investing, sales, client and customer relations, hedge funds, and trade, to name a few!
Similarly to accounting, you will want to have at least 4 GCSEs from 4-9 (C to A old-style) if you are starting right out of school. If you are changing career paths, you can also use any A levels or degrees you might have, but this will depend on your recruiter.
Insurance
Insurance can be a lucrative career in the finance sector. Most people are drawn to this side of the industry because of job security, the involvement in real-time issues all around the globe, significant earning potential, and a varied day-to-day workday, to name a few!
While you do not always need qualifications to get into insurance, and there are no formal educational requirements, there will still be plenty of degrees that can be very useful to you pursuing this path. Business studies, finance, accounting, psychology, and economics (amongst others) can all be well worth having under your belt if you decide you want to go down the route of insurance.
For the most part, working in finance requires someone adaptable with good communication skills, a hard worker, and those who find every day the same a bore. If you know which sector you would like to go into, just check in advance what you need, and email any companies that take your fancy to find out what next steps might be beneficial.