Careers In Finance

The finance industry is concerned with how individuals and institutions handle their financial resources -- how they raise their money, where they allocate it and how they use it -- and assesses the risks involved in these activities as well as recommends ways to manage these risks.

There are a number of exciting and rewarding jobs in the field of finance. What follows are just a few examples.

The commercial banking sector employs more people than any other facet of the financial services industry. Banks offer individuals the opportunity to interact with a broad spectrum of people and the chance to develop a clientele. People in banking usually start out as tellers and shift to other bank services such as leasing, credit card banking, trade credit and international finance.

As the name indicates, a career in corporate finance means you will work in a corporation and are mainly concerned with sourcing money for the company -- money that will be used to develop the business, make acquisitions and ensure the company's future. In a corporation, you are likely to start as a financial officer.

As a financial planner, you may also work for a corporation but will mainly be concerned with only one aspect of finances -- planning for the future. You have to have a firm grasp of investments, estate planning as well as taxes. Or you may serve as a consultant who provides financial planning for individuals, e.g., planning their retirement needs or how they can put their kids through college.

With annual revenues surpassing the trillion-dollar mark, the insurance industry looms as one of the most attractive areas for a career in finance. In 2005, there were an estimated 2.5 million people in the US who were employed in the insurance field, which is mainly considered with the business of managing risk and anticipating problem areas. Possible jobs in insurance include working as an underwriter, sales representative, customer service rep, asset manager or an actuary.

A career in investment banking means you will be concerned with issuing securing and helping investors buy, manage or trade financial assets. As a bonus, you get the chance to work on Wall Street in a leading investment banks such as Merrill Lynch, Salomon Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and Goldman Sachs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/329196

Careers In Finance

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.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/830905