Commercial banking means having an . . . → Read More: Career Opportunities in Banking and Finance]]> Your decision to have a finance career can be a start of something big for you. According to latest employment and business trends, the growth of the world economy plus the increasing number of people retiring in the next decade will create a demand for finance professionals.

Commercial banking means having an opportunity to work in the areas of financial management, accountancy and auditing, securities, commodities and financial services sales. There’s also an opportunity to work in the area of financial and credit analysis since commercial banks are there to provide banking services to individuals as well as small and large businesses and organizations.

People who work in banking and finance are paid well for the work that they do. Four of the fields that many professionals get into include accountancy and tax, Insurance, investment banking and retail banking. Let’s talk about each of these.

For people to work in accountancy and tax, you need to graduate and get your CPA or certified public accountancy license. To learn more about what you will be doing, many have to complete an on the job training with a legitimate accountancy firm.

The training period is about three years and afterwards, you can continue on staying with them, working for another firm or going into private practice.

Insurers just like accountants need to be licensed. This varies from state to state so you have to study and then pass the exam. Once you do so, your career may get you to sell property or casually insurance and life or health insurance.

You should also take further classes in the future because although you have your license already, rules change and you have to be aware of them.

Perhaps the biggest challenge selling insurance is deciding whether to work for an insurance company or doing this on your own. There are advantages and disadvantages doing both. When you are employed, you get a basic salary while those who decide to work for themselves can only make money earning commissions when a sale is made. How well you do is entirely up to you.

Investment banking is different from regular banking because you are there to raise capital for a company by issuing shares or bonds. Later on, you may even work with a team that advises companies regarding mergers and acquisitions.

Also under investment banking is capital markets. Here, the professional is tasked with trading bonds stocks and other financial products to increase the portfolio of the client.

But before you get into that, most entry levels personnel start out doing research first about certain companies and who are their competitors. Their information is then passed on to the account managers who will then advice the client.

Lastly is retail banking which many of us are aware of because these are the people we meet in the bank from the teller to the bank manager when we need to deposit or withdraw cash and apply for a loan.

Unlike accountancy or insurance, you don’t need to get a license to do this kind of work. You just have to be customer oriented with strong interpersonal and communication skills since you will be dealing with people.

Tax and accountancy, insurance, investment banking and retail banking are the four basic types of jobs for anyone that wants to pursue a banking and finance career after graduation from college. Career progression in any of them is excellent and this can only happen with additional training and at times a license.

This can be achieved by part time study so all you have to do now is weigh your options and then go for it.

Guess again.

Although these sectors of the job market did experience heavy lay offs, signs of new life are emerging. In a the June 28 article “Finance Firms Rev Up Hiring,” The Wall . . . → Read More: Start a Career in the Growing Banking and Finance Industries]]> You may have thought that financial catastrophes of the past two years had completely decimated the banking and finance industries.

Guess again.

Although these sectors of the job market did experience heavy lay offs, signs of new life are emerging. In a the June 28 article “Finance Firms Rev Up Hiring,” The Wall Street Journal reveals that 6,800 finance jobs were added between February and May, the largest three-month increase in the past two years. The article adds that starting salary offers are up to 40% higher than they were one year ago.

So if you were considering a finance career once upon a time, but got scared off by the financial ups and downs of the past 24 months, now is the time to get back on track. Here’s a look at 3 hot finance careers and the degrees you’ll need to get started.

Banking Careers
According to the WSJ, banking positions are currently some of the most desirable. Whether you want to work at a large corporate bank or a smaller boutique firm, banks are one of the cornerstones of the economy, protecting money and lending money to business across the country. Financial managers, commodities agents, accountants, and computer specialists are just a few of the professionals that make a bank run.

Insurance Careers
Whether we like it or not, insurance is something we all need, which is why insurance is another hot career option the WSJ puts at the top of their list. But insurance professionals do more than just sell you policies for your new car; they are involved in maintaining accounts, handling claims, and advising their clients on risk management, financial planning and investment strategies.

Loan Officer Careers
Within the banking careers, there is one group of professionals who we’ll all need to go visit at some point in our life: the loan officer. These men and women use their expertise in finance and credit to determine what the best loan is, who’s eligible, and what the terms should be.

Ready to Get Started?
Earning a finance degree will give you the skills and background you need to enter one of the financial careers described above. To get started, visit this career profiles page for additional career and finance degree information.