How To Land A Job In Finance

A job in finance can be very rewarding – such jobs have some of the best starting salaries and there is often a lot of opportunity for progression. However, getting one’s foot in the door isn’t easy. Here are a few tips for landing a job in finance

Find your niche

Finance is a very broad term, encompassing everything from accounting to research to investing. There’s the financial tech sector which involves robo-advisors and accounting software. There are also finance experts that work with pharmaceutical companies, energy companies and retail companies – often requiring specialist knowledge related to that trade. Finding your niche makes it easier to focus your studies and hone your skills in a certain area. This could make you stand out to an employer when up against someone with a generic finance degree.

Get the right education

You’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree to be considered for most roles within the finance sector. A master’s could help you to stand out and in some cases could teach you extra valuable skills such as salary negotiation tips when applying for the role of portfolio manager. There are many different types of degrees out there – on top of finding the right specific subject, you may want to consider the nature of the degree. For instance, some degrees can be studied online, some contain a sandwich year of work experience and some may be accelerated allowing you to graduate faster.

Seek out internships

Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door. It’s worth applying for internships while still studying your degree – this shows that you’re keen, plus there may be more options available. You can find internships advertised online, although you may also be able to find them simply asking companies directly. Many internships lead onto a full-time job. Even if this doesn’t happen, they’re likely to be great experience that could help you to get a job somewhere else. 

Learn the lingo

There’s lots of fancy lingo to learn when getting involved in finance. Employers may quiz you on this lingo during interviews, so it’s worth learning. You may learn a lot through the course you choose, but it could be worth doing some of your own swotting up too. Reading finance blogs and publications such as The Financial Times may help to familiarise you with terms. New terms are constantly being invented, so it’s worth constantly doing your homework.

Start a finance blog/vlog

A finance blog or a finance vlog could be a great way of showing off your knowledge. It also shows passion, intuition and confidence – all things that employers look for. It costs nothing to start a WordPress blog or a YouTube channel, so you may as well give it a go.