The Benefits Of A Career In Financial Services

The financial services sector is often unfairly portrayed on the news and in films. Far from being like the Wolf of Wall Street, a career in the industry has a lot to recommend it. For those looking for fast-paced, relatively secure employment with high earning potential, then the financial services sector has a lot to offer. 

Roles within the industry include: 

• Stockbroker 
• Investments
• Legal
• Accountancy
• Data science/analysis
• Banking
• Insurance

Career progression opportunities

When people think of the financial services industry, they think of bankers and stockbrokers. In reality, there are hundreds of different specialisms within the sector to choose from. From working in a pensions advice for a company like Portafina to a cutting edge FinTech start-up, there’s a great chance that you will be able to find a role that suits your skill set and personality.

Income potential

The sector is renowned for its generous salaries and bonuses. While you will have to work your way up. The benefits and rewards are considerable compared to a lot of other sectors.

Opportunities for travel

Many of the large financial services companies have offices all over the world. This allows the opportunity to travel as part of your job, or potentially relocate on a longer-term basis. 

Exciting industry

This is a sector that never sleeps and is at the forefront of digital technology. If it’s fast pace, high stakes excitement you’re looking for, then you’ve picked the perfect career. 

Learn valuable skills

Many of the skills that you will learn in the financial sector can be easily transferred to other sectors should you move. These include problem-solving, working under pressure, project management and presentation skills. 

How to find work in the financial services sector

Many people work their way up from entry-level positions, regardless of what they have studied at university. Work experience and internships can be a useful way to get your first taste of experience in the sector. In fact, many companies are looking for this kind of experience and initiative when they are recruiting. 

Look for companies that offer work placements or graduate schemes which allow you to get a good grounding in various parts of the industry. Those who prove themselves in these roles will often find themselves in a full-time job once it’s completed. 

Professional development

If you have work experience, but in another sector, then there are ways to acquire some of the skills that you will need to successfully make the leap. Look through recruitment ads and pick out any qualifications, skills or software experience asked for. You can then find online training courses to allow you to upskill in those areas. It will show recruiters that you are committed to pursuing a career in the sector. 

Recruitment agencies

There are specialist recruitment agencies that deal specifically with financial services recruitment. This is done either through direct job advertising or headhunting. If you are looking to make the leap from another sector, it is worth getting in contact with these companies for advice on your application and CV.