If you are looking
for a job in finance they say that it’s mandatory to have a finance degree, but
if you really want to work in this field and you don’t have any relevant degree
then what do you do? Still there is a hope.
Every organization wants motivated, dedicated and smart
employees to do their work. Finance degrees train students on skills such
as financial modeling and data analysis, but may not do
much to provide other skills required for success in almost any job, such as
communication, problem-solving and time management.
Below are some of the ways to show potential employers that
you possess the skills that they desire in an employee, as well as the passion
necessary for a successful career in finance. We’ll rate each of these by degree of
difficulty to achieve (for example, signing up for a financial course is easier
than obtaining an internship) as well as the positive impact it may have on
getting you closer to your objective of embarking on a financial career.
1. Learn Jargon:
If you are looking to make career in finance, then you must have knowledge about Wall Street lingo, difference between dilution and dividend, or between NPV and DCF. Learn some financial terms and
concepts. If you are a non-finance graduate and if you don’t know about financial terms and concepts it will become very difficult to get pass in preliminary interview stages. Interviewers want knowledgeable applicant for finance position, irrespective of his/her educational background.
If you are looking to make career in finance, then you must have knowledge about Wall Street lingo, difference between dilution and dividend, or between NPV and DCF. Learn some financial terms and
concepts. If you are a non-finance graduate and if you don’t know about financial terms and concepts it will become very difficult to get pass in preliminary interview stages. Interviewers want knowledgeable applicant for finance position, irrespective of his/her educational background.
2. Round off Your Education
Even though you are a non-finance graduate, you can match
your level by taking relevant finance courses as per your education level. If
you are an undergraduate then courses in economics, accounting
or financial analysis will be a great options. And for a graduate
students can prefer MBA in finance or CFA/financial modeling program
3. Enroll in Best Financial Courses
There are lots of finance institutes who provide Intensive
courses which will help you to boost your skills which are essential for
career in finance, such as advanced excel techniques and financial modeling.
This are short term courses, as they typically conducted over a few days. But
due to these short span programs’, you may need to be familiar with basic
financial concepts to derive the maximum benefit from them.
4. Improve Your Knowledge Base
It’s not necessary that you will get full-fledged knowledge
from your college degree. You can get plenty of information from local library
or online. You might get some paid resources from course providers.
Being self-taught in a difficult field like finance demonstrates a
number of desirable attributes to an employer such as initiative, passion and
drive.
5. Link up with a Mentor
Linking up with a mentor is another way of boosting a
financial career. A mentor can be anyone who can influence, who thinks highly
of your capabilities and is willing to help you achieve your goals. A mentors
can be your favorite professor at college, a family friend or relation with a
successful career in finance or someone you know in a professional capacity,
such as a supervisor during a previous internship. Don’t hesitate to approach a
contact who you think could help you in your job search.
6. Score a Meaningful Internship
Scoring a summer internship still remains one of the best
ways to lock in a prestigious full-time job in finance, as many Wall
Street firms pick their new hires from the ranks of their summer interns.
At the best business schools, an estimated one-third to half of MBA students
work for their summer employer after graduation.
But since obtaining a paid internship in finance
is likely to be very difficult for a non-financial graduate, one must consider
other options such as an unpaid internship or volunteer work with
a broker. The opportunity cost that arises from doing such
unpaid internships or volunteer work may be offset in due course by the
higher earning potential of a finance career.
7. Do Your Best to Get Your Foot in the Door
Grab opportunities! Expand your job search to other
locations, and use your network to check for job openings in a financial
organization. Try to get an entry-level position with a financial company, even
for a non-finance role, may open doors to other career paths in finance down
the line.
But for the vast majority of non-finance degree holders,
getting a job in finance is likely to pose a significant challenge. This is
more so because thousands of positions were reduced by banks and financial
institutions in the effect of the 2008 global recession. However,
using a combination of the tips discussed above should enable a non-financial
graduate to substantially improve his or her chances of launching a career in
finance.
So to become part of one of the fastest growing sectors in
India, join Imarticus learning, we offer various finance and investment
banking courses across many cities in India.
