The financial services sector, after all, must continue to operate in both boom and bust conditions precisely because many aspects of society depend on it. Indeed, more than two-thirds of professionals looking for the appropriate financial services positions will be able to land the jobs even when the doom and gloom atmosphere permeates the economy as a whole.
Tips on Landing the Jobs
When looking for financial services job openings, the most logical organizations to look into are the financial institutions like commercial banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, as well as mortgage and finance companies. In a money-driven economy, however, just about every for-profit and non-profit organization will offer some form of vacancies in financial services. Thus, it is foolishness to believe that there is a dearth of financial services opportunities in the economy today because there are many opportunities except that the competition is very fierce.
With that in mind, it is highly imperative that the professional desiring to become successful in the financial services sector must do everything necessary to be qualified for the jobs first. Truly, before anyone can be successful in any professional field, the individual must possess the necessary personal and professional tools to enter it in the first place. We are referring to education, training and work experience as well as license and certification, all of which are outlined in all adverts for financial services vacancies.
Professional Qualifications and Personal Traits
Let's start with the education requirement for financial services job openings. Employers want applicants to possess a bachelor's degree in related fields like economics, business management and accountancy. The education is an assurance that the applicant has theoretical and even practical knowledge to carry out the duties, functions and responsibilities of the financial services positions being filled.
Practical working experience must complement the theoretical education gained in college. In fact, for most employers, work experience is more important than the bachelor's degree because it means that the applicant has acquired valuable skills useful in an office setting. Such requirement varies depending on the vacancies in financial services being advertised as there are entry-level jobs that accept fresh graduates with little to no work experience in the sector.
Yet another requirement to gain a competitive edge in financial services opportunities is to acquire the corresponding licenses or certifications. Depending on the specific profession in the financial services sector, the individual may secure the license from a government licensing agency or the certification from a private industry organization. For example, certified public accountants (CPA) must secure a license to practice from the state regulatory agency after taking a licensure examination.
The adverts for financial services vacancies will also outline the personal qualification of the applicant. These personality traits may include excellent communication skills, the ability to work well in a team and the capacity to work under pressure, to name a few. During the interview process, the prospective employers will take advantage of the opportunity to determine the applicant's personal qualities in relation to the financial services job openings being offered. So, get your act together, polish your résumé and prepare for the interview.
On the résumé and during the interview, we suggest highlighting your suitability for the job. Look at the job advert and determine the job requirements that fit into your existing personal and professional qualifications. If possible, transferability of skills must be demonstrated so as to have an edge over the other applicants.
Types of Jobs
The beauty of the financial services sector is the wide variety of jobs possible. Just to name a few of these jobs:
* Actuaries perform critical work in the insurance industry by assessing the risk of events occurring and then helping create business policies designed to minimize the costs of said risks. For entry-level actuarial jobs, average salary is at $56,320 as of July 2009.
* Financial managers compose the large bulk of financial services job openings. The professionals included in this sub-sector include controllers, treasurers, cash and credit managers, risk and insurance managers and other managerial positions related to financial services.
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