A finance professional is a person who is responsible for guiding the clients to plan their finances and also comes up with good strategies on investment, thereby helping them manage their wealth in a better way. They can also be considered as Finance Advisors since they also evaluate tax and investment-related aspects for their clients.
To start a career in the field of finance, one must have a bachelor's or a master’s degree in finance and have a good hold over subjects like mathematics, accountancy, economics, and auditing.
What are the career options after graduation?
Many students after having completed their degrees in Finance get confused and wonder what are their career options after graduation. It is a vast field with unlimited opportunities that promise a bright future. For Finance aspirants, there are many options in the investment banking industry.
Investment banking is one of the best and sought-after careers in finance. It can change one’s career trajectory and promises a lot of growth. For better guidance, here is the certificate in Investment banking details:
The CIIB (certificate in investment banking) is an extensive certification exam designed to test one’s understanding and in-depth knowledge of investment banking. The course covers everything from the basics of investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, corporate actions and restructuring, and financial statement analysis.
One can also take up a career in Risk management where one is required to have the ability to minimize the risk factors involved in investment and maximize returns for the clients. Apart from these options, there are many other opportunities too like, Portfolio management, public auditing, and corporate finance.
Other courses that one can do to hone their skills in the field of finance are accountancy courses, wealth management, banking courses, tax qualifications, etc. Finance professionals are required to have experience and the best way to gain experience is by taking up internships and learning as much as one can.
To be a successful finance professional, one must acquire the following skills:
- Should have an immaculate knowledge of accounting and economics
- Possess analytical skills
- Good business management skills
- Be a leader
- Mathematical knowledge
- Should be well versed with using computers and the required software
- Have a keen eye and pay attention to detail
The world of cinema has often produced many movies inspired by the lives of finance professionals and there are some amazing movies that have created a lot of buzz in the past. Some are dramatic while some are comical but it is interesting to have a sneak peek into the life of finance or a business professional. Here is a list of the top 5 must-watch movies for finance professionals:
Boiler Room:
The Boiler room is a must-watch for everyone who is planning to try their luck in the stock market. The film deals with the protagonist’s wit, intelligence, and good stock brokering skills that get him a good position and respect in life but soon due to his greed and unlawful tactics he is on the FBI's wanted list.
Margin Call:
This movie is about an investment bank dealing with the 2008 financial crisis. One of the best movies ever made about the financial crisis, it is engaging and smart. It highlights how not just physical but psychological factors bring down a company. One lesson to take away from this movie is to learn how to handle a company when it's at its weakest and suffering through a crisis.
Wall Street:
Perhaps the finest movie ever to be made on the finance industry, the movie follows the story of a young man who has just started as a stockbroker and starts learning the ropes of the stock market. By watching this movie, viewers can learn the basic functionality of a stock market.
Rogue Trader:
The movie is about an investment banker and how the oldest bank of Britain goes bankrupt because of him. The lesson learned is that no single person can be given the responsibility of making a business successful and that companies must have a logical and disciplined investment plan to avoid losses.
The Wolf of Wall Street:
This list can never be complete without mentioning one of Leonardo Di Caprio’s best works to date. The Wolf of Wall Street is a comedy movie but shows the shrewdness and unethical ways in which the protagonist makes his way to the top and is eventually caught.
There are business lessons to be learned like loyalty and trust between the boss and his employees, something which is very important in the corporate world. The movie is a laugh riot with some very powerful performances.
