A career in finance isn't all about money, in spite of the fact that it begins there.

For
the business graduate, earning a degree is just the starting. What's cleared out is to require a
closer look at the available career alternatives and after that to measure which
industry divisions have the most prominent require for new professionals. It's too vital to
consider your own interface and qualities as you observe the type of work that
you'd appreciate and at which you'd exceed expectations.

The financial services industry is multifaceted, offering a variety of positions that cater

to distinctive aptitudes and interests, along with sub-industries that encompass
niche openings..Researching the conceivable outcomes in financial services will assist
you to land the work that has is most consistent with your interface and abilities. The same
is genuine for experts who are looking for a career alter and
who need to provide a new segment a shot.

Career in finance:

1. t Financial Planner
Finance majors learn about a variety of investment vehicles, and this knowledge can help
financial planners to advise clients about how to manage their finances. Finance majors can
decipher trends in the securities markets and apply this perspective to their planning sessions.

Financial planners must crunch numbers and apply principles of accounting in order to devise
plans suitable for individual investors. They also need to inspire trust in people and promote their
services. Therefore, finance majors with strong interpersonal skills and persuasive abilities will
be most likely to succeed in this profession.

Generally, financial planners with the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation are the most
in-demand, as their training is rigorous. They must attain 6,000 hours of financial planning
experience, pass several exams—including a two-day, 10-hour case-study exam—and
meet continuing education (CE) requirements.

2. Corporate Finance
Corporate finance jobs involve working for a company in the capacity of finding and managing
the capital necessary to run the enterprise. This is done while maximizing corporate value and
reducing financial risk.

In a company's corporate finance department, you may:

 Devise the company's overall financial strategy

 Forecast profits and losses
 Negotiate lines of credit
 Prepare financial statements
  Coordinate with outside auditors

More sophisticated corporate finance jobs might involve mergers and acquisitions

(M&A) activity, such as calculating the value of an acquisition target or gauging the wisdom
of spinning off a particular division of the company. Corporate finance positions exist in
companies of all sizes, from large international entities to small startups. The roles of financial
analysts, treasurers, and internal auditors also come under the umbrella of corporate finance.

3. Commercial Banking
Commercial banks from large entities to local institutions offer a wide range of financial
services, from checking and savings accounts to individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and loans.
Positions in the commercial banking sector include bank tellers, loan officers, operations,
marketing, and branch managers.

Talented professionals can advance from a local branch job to a position in a bank's corporate
headquarters, where such a promotion would expose you to other areas of commercial banking,
such as international finance. 

4. Investment Banking
Some of the most glamorous—and intense—financial careers are jobs in investment
banking. Investment banking jobs facilitate new issuance of corporate securities and bring them
to market for investors to purchase. Investment banks also trade securities and advise both
corporations and wealthy individual investors.

Typically, investment banking firms have numerous divisions and groups with different
objectives and responsibilities. Working in a traditional investment bank would allow you to
interact with issuers of securities, and M&A professionals. You might even work on the trading
desk, trading stocks, bonds and other securities in the secondary market. Or, you could become
a qualitative research analyst in either stock research, corporate bonds, or other fixed-income
securities. 

5. Hedge Funds
Hedge funds are largely unregulated private investment funds whose managers can buy or sell a
wide array of assets and financial products. Because of the mystery that surrounds this type of
entity, hedge fund jobs are also considered by many to be somewhat glamorous. 

Typical hedge fund jobs include:

 Financial analyst
 Trader
 Regulatory compliance officer 
 Quantitative analyst
 Marketing manager 
 Portfolio manager 
 6. Private Equity, Venture Capital
Private equity professionals help businesses find capital for both expansion and current
operations. They also provide financing for a number of corporate business transactions, such as
managed buyouts and restructurings.

At times, a private-equity job may involve working as an interim executive at a struggling

company, where your success helps determine the fate of the company. 

Venture capital (VC) professionals spend most of their time with startups or small, fast-growth
companies. Venture capital firms evaluate the pitches by founders and small-company leaders to
determine if the firm will make an investment. Sometimes referred to as "vulture
capitalists," VCs are known to structure deals that favor the investor, not the company receiving
funding.

The hope of the VC is that the funded company will someday go public—that is, make their
stock available in the public stock market. The venture capital business is tough: The failure rate
is high, but the rewards, if they are realized, can be huge.

7. Insurance
A job in the insurance sector could involve helping businesses and individuals anticipate
potential risks, then try to protect themselves from losses. Most insurance jobs are with large
insurance companies. You could begin a career in this sector working as a sales rep selling
insurance policies, as a customer service rep working with existing clients, or as
an actuary computing risks and premium rates according to probabilities based on historical,
quantitative data sets. 

8. Public Accounting
Public accounting is a broad field with many opportunities. Certified public accountants
(CPAs) help businesses and individuals keep track of their finances according to generally
accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Public accountants record business transactions, help
prepare financial statements, audit financial records, prepare income tax returns, and provide
related consulting services.

Accountants generally work in partnerships. The largest partnerships are known as the Big

Four (previously the Big Eight and the Big Six) and include Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu,
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young, and KPMG. But many jobs also exist in many
smaller firms. Typically, new hires start as a staff accountant, then advance to audit manager,
then tax manager and, eventually, if they can maintain the tough working schedule for many
years, a partner in the firm. 
 Courses in finance
Specialized finance courses
Specialized courses are the ones where a certain skill set is developed for an industry

(1) Chartered Financial Analyst

The CFA degree is one of the toughest to crack but probably one of the most rewarding
certifications to have. In fact in the financial services world, the CFA charter holder is one of the
few courses that give an MBA-Finance a serious run for the money. If you are a CFA charter
holder, then you are one of the most valued people in any organization. You are looked up to for
your insights backed by analytical inputs. This certification is highly useful if you want to make
a career in equity research, investment banking or fund management. However, if you choose to
pursue this course there is one piece of advice: Start early

(2) The Certified Financial Planner

If you wish to make a career out of wealth management then being a CFP is almost a must have.
This course gives you in-depth training in various aspects of personal finance like tax planning,
insurance planning, estate planning, etc. You can consider the certified financial planner to be
like the general practitioner MBBS. You as a CFP are the best bet that people have in managing
their growing wealth. You as a CFP would be sought after in banks, wealth management
companies, insurance companies, mutual fund and other financial intermediaries. In India, there
is a dearth of good financial planners. As per some market estimates, India needs close to 50,000
financial planners, and not even 10% has been met. The CFP certification is valid in 23 countries
in the world including Australia, UK, etc. Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) India is
the authorized regulatory body for this course in India.

(3) Economics
Yes, that economics degree is also a good bet for making a career in financial services. After all,
it’s the economists who create all the policies that determine whether the country grows or
flounders. Economists are valued in the financial services industry for predicting an impact of
policies that may affect business performance and make informed decisions about how policies
would move and how the business should react to the changing policies. If you chose to become
an economist then the financial services world would look to you just like many people look to
astrologers, i.e. to understand complex inputs and give guidance on how to use the available
resources for creating valuable outputs.

(4) Statistics
A statistician handles the collection, assessment, explanation and presentation of quantitative
data. You as a statistician provide insights, commendations, and advice on policy and strategy to
clients within and outside your organization. You as a statistician, handle monitoring data
collection and using modeling techniques, both mathematical and statistical. You would also be
expected to present your findings along with providing strategic advice on how best to use the
results.

(5) Chartered Alternate Investment Analyst

The CAIA Charter is the globally recognized credential for professionals managing, analyzing,
distributing, or regulating alternative investments. The CAIA Charter designation is the highest
standard of achievement in alternative investment education and provides broad knowledge,
demonstrated expertise, and global credibility in alternatives.

(6) Financial Risk Manager

Since 2008, the element of risk management has come to the fore like anything. If you were to
choose to become a Financial Risk Manager, then you would be expected to manage the risk that
accompanies any investments and would like to broaden their knowledge of the same. This
course is suitable for people seeking employment in risk management in banks, corporates, non-
banking financial firms and corporate houses. This course helps people in their early stages by
exposing them to the breadth of the curriculum covering major strategic aspects of risk
management; on the other hand, the course helps established professional keep up with the latest
trends.

(7) Financial Modeling and Investment Banking Programs

Financial Modeling skills are a must for equity research and investment banking careers. If you
want to make a career in financial research, equity research, investment banking, and other core
finance areas, then having MBA or CFA degrees alone won’t help. You need to learn skills that
are required to do the actual work on the job. You can learn the skills through online or
classroom programs.