A career in finance is very alluring for a few key reasons. Firstly it has the potential to be extremely lucrative. Secondly because it is extremely diverse. Nearly every business on the planet will need to employ some form of financial expert to help the company survive. People often assume that working in finance only entails working for large trading firms. But there are hundreds of different paths your finance career can take.

The main issue is that finance careers are extremely competitive. Finance and business courses at universities have become some of the most over subscribed options. With thousands of new applicants entering the workforce each year. It can be difficult to even secure a job in finance. And even if you do, it takes a lot of hard work to succeed. But there are some tips you should be aware of that will help you propel your career forward.

Always Be Learning

If you look at anyone with a successful finance career they will all have one thing in common. And that is their dedication to learning and expanding their range of skills. In an ideal world you would have decided on entering the finance world while still at school. In that case you will want to start preparing for your career as early as possible.

This is a career path where having the bare minimum of requirements isn’t going to be enough. As we said, it is a competitive field. You need to stand out from other applicants. That means engaging with as many extracurricular activities as possible. As well as ensuring you are getting ahead of your studies. Building a strong CV is the first key step to a successful career in finance.

Once you’ve graduated and secured a job you can’t rest on your laurels either. The finance world is one that is constantly evolving. And you need to stay up to date with the latest trends, innovations, and any relevant global news. So make sure you set aside some time every week to study.

Build Your Network

Networking is one of the pillars of success in most industries. And this is especially true in the finance world. You should be looking at building a solid network of business contacts as soon as you graduate. And even before if possible.

One of the main things you need to do is ensure that you have a LinkedIn profile that is regularly updated. LinkedIn is one of the primary networking tools for people working in the finance world. You should try to connect with as many people as possible. Engage with their content and try to post at least once a week.

Attending different industry events, such as conferences and expos, is a great way to build your network. Here you’ll meet a diverse range of industry professionals and can connect with useful businesses. Connecting with different businesses is essential. There will be many times when you need the services of a specific profession. And having a robust network of contacts will help you get ahead while also being a great way to impress your bosses.

Some key contacts to find are companies offering business transcription services, backend software engineering firms, lead agents, tech startups, and small independent businesses. No matter what sector of finance you are working in, companies like this will be useful to you at some point in your career.

Don’t Be Afraid To Change Jobs

One of the toughest challenges you will face is the divide between maintaining loyalty to a company and finding a new job. People often assume that you should only look for a new job when you are sick of your current one. But that isn’t the case. One of the best ways to get ahead in the finance world is by career hopping regularly.

We should note that there are advantages to staying with one company for a prolonged period of time. Especially if that company has a lot of opportunities for career progression. But as you are getting started out you will find that it is often easier to rise up the ranks by moving to a new company.

The main advantage to changing jobs is that it is far easier to secure a higher salary during the application process as opposed to securing a salary increase at your current job. You will also learn a lot more about the industry by working at a few different companies. But you don’t want to jump around too much. We recommend staying at one job for a minimum of two years before looking for a new one.

From a young age we are all told the importance of financial security. Without financial security, we limit the things we can do and the opportunities that we can access. It is thought that one of the best ways to ensure that you have financial security in the future is by completing your education and achieving great results.

No matter where you are in the world, the importance of education is ingrained into us all at a very young age, as with knowledge comes power. As a society we are told which sectors of occupation will be beneficial for our financial success in the future. We are encouraged to pursue careers in medicine, law, science and similar fields. Though these fields offer the possibility of financial security, one of the best careers that you can pursue is one in the financial sector. After all, what job can offer you the opportunity to earn more money than a job that requires you to be surrounded by money?

There is a very common misconception that the only way that you can pursue a financial career is by earning a degree in accountancy. Though this was the case in the past, there are now more avenues that you can go down than ever before. The world of finance is continuously expanding as the world continues to evolve, now there are many financial opportunities from stock investment to mortgage leads. There are qualifications that make a reverse mortgage leads viable, along with every other new and exciting financial career you can pursue.

Here is our recommendation on the best degrees to study in order to pursue a financial career.

Accountancy

Though I previously stated that accountancy isn’t the only viable financial degree, it is still a very valuable degree. For years people have said that if you have an accountancy degree, then you are guaranteed to be able to get a job. Though there are a lot of external factors that can impact this, such as recessions or even global pandemics, for the most part this is true. Accountancy degrees are extremely valuable, especially if your degree is of a high standard. Not many people have the natural ability to do maths, so if you have the proof that you can, then businesses will be very interested in taking you on.

Every business in the world has or needs an accountant, so by completing an accountancy degree you are opening yourself up to a world of possibilities. Accountancy degrees are also extremely difficult, so if you have proved that you can handle the pressure of completing this degree, then you will be extremely appealing to any potential employers.

Business

What a lot of people forget about business degrees is that they cover a long list of content. The goal of completing a business degree is to prepare someone for when they eventually set up their own business or even gain a partnership position within a pre-existing business.

Most business degrees take the time to really go into the financial side of business. This means that people who study business are taught about profit margins, percentages, and equity. Some of these features of a business course are not even touched upon on a standard accountancy course, so if you have completed a business degree with a focus in maths, then you will be extremely desirable to any potential employer.

People who have completed a business degree are considered to be so valuable because they understand the practical application of the maths that they have learned, which is something that people who took a standard accountancy degree often have to be trained on.

Accounting and law

Depending on the university that you decide to attend, many of them offer combination courses. These combinations are not just thrown together, they are very cleverly thought out in relation to how they will be beneficial when it comes to seeking employment.

Accounting and law is a very good degree to do if you want a career in the financial sector. Accounting and law focuses a lot on the legislation surrounding economic trade deals. If you think about the trades that your own country makes with other countries, then it would make sense that there would need to be laws enforced surrounding this.

This degree is extremely valuable due to just how many doors it opens. Both law and accounting degrees are extremely valuable to employers, so having a combination of the two will make you stand out from a long list of applicants. It is important to know that this degree combination is extremely difficult, so unless you feel confident in the two areas, we recommend trying to go for something a bit more simple. However, an accounting and law degree will make you a cut above the rest.

If you are at that point in your life where you now have to pick a subject to study in further education, then you may be at a loss. There are a lot of viable options out there for degrees, but once you pick one, it is rare that you get a second chance. This is why you have to make sure that your first choice is one that you are going to be happy with and one that allows you to be in the job sector that you would like to be in.

When it comes to picking a dependable degree, we believe that law should be your first choice. There are a lot of common misconceptions that a law degree is extremely difficult and it is only manageable if you are some sort of genius. This is not the case and here are 7 reasons why you should choose to study law.

A Law Degree Can Lead to Many Jobs

One of the best parts about studying for a law degree is that once you have finished your degree, you don’t necessarily have to become a lawyer. A big part of going to college and studying is finding yourself along the way and if you find that you don’t want to be a lawyer, you don’t have to. Law degrees are very desirable, which means that you will be able to have a number of different jobs if you decide being a lawyer is not for you.

It’s Rewarding

When you study for a law degree, something that you will quickly notice is how many good things the legal system has done for people. When you have a law degree, you are in a position you can help someone. If you are someone that cares deeply about social issues, then you can really make a difference by becoming a lawyer. You can help people who are in desperate need of legal representation or you could even help the environment, the world is your oyster with a law degree.

There is Good Money To Make

One of the main reasons that so many people choose to become a lawyer is because of the money. For as long as there has been a legal system, there has been a need for a lawyer. A job in law is one of the few jobs that will be secure in the future, as robots won’t be able to think and reason like a human. This means that not only do you have the chance to make good money, but you have the opportunity to work in a stable working environment where you don’t have to worry about potentially being replaced in the future.

A Law Degree Looks Great on Your CV

When it comes to applying to jobs, there are certain degrees that really stand out from others. A law degree will make your CV look fantastic in comparison to your competitors. This is because law degrees are hard and not everyone can do one and so if you manage to complete a law degree and you get a good grade, it will show that you are competent and capable of taking on different job roles.

It is Interesting

If you are looking for something exciting to study, the law is a great option. There are many things in the world that we don’t truly understand. For example, when you are studying for a degree, you will get an insight into what it is like to be wills and estates lawyers. This is something you have probably not thought about, even though it is something that we will all have to encounter and so you will be able to impress your friends with your complex knowledge of the world.

Law is Intellectually Challenging

For some people, education left them feeling quite bored because it was not hard enough. If you can relate to this, then the law is something that you should definitely look into. It is well known that studying law can be quite intellectually challenging, as there is a lot to remember and to understand. This will keep your brain stimulated, which some people need in order to achieve success in their education.

Law is So Diverse

Many people think that when you gain a law degree, your only option is to go straight into criminal law. This is not the case at all, as the law is so diverse. There are millions of different laws and they are broken up into different sectors. For example, you could choose to focus on the environment, or you could choose to focus on human rights. Law allows you to really follow your passions and it is not as limited as it may seem from an outside perspective.