JobsAndCareersWithSarahWillingham2016 - 67

FOCUS :

FINANCE

THE KEY AREAS
Banks and building societies
Of all the areas in the finance sector,
banks and building societies employ
the most people. In a nutshell, they
help individuals and businesses
manage their money and get products
like loans and mortgages.
Commercial banks lend medium and
large businesses money through loans,
and also advise on investments and
generally support them as they develop.
Client management is especially
important in this field of banking.
Retail banks have bank-specific
customer service roles - either in a
branch as a bank clerk or in a call
centre helping customers over the phone
- as well as supporting departments
like IT, HR and marketing.
Plus, there are chances to climb
the ladder from customer service roles,
by training as a mortgage or financial
advisor. These roles also exist in
building societies, which differ from
the banks as they're owned by their
members not external shareholders.

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Chances to progress:
For more on qualifications within retail
and corporate banking, see the Institute
of Financial Services (www.ifslearning.
ac.uk) and the Chartered Banker
Institute (www.charteredbanker.com).

Words: Anna Rouse. Images: Getty Images, Shutterstock.

Investments and pensions
Investment banks liaise between
the investor and the business world.
Possibly the most lucrative form of
banking to work in, you'll need a
thorough knowledge of corporate finance
and the financial markets to succeed
- plus skills in risk assessment.
There's also wealth management,
a prestigious level of banking for high
net-worth clients looking to protect
their wealth and manage their finances
efficiently. This might include creating
and managing tax-efficient investment
portfolios, corporate tax planning
advice and advice on pensions, family
trusts and inheritance.

Chances to progress:
It's easier to get a job in investment
banking or investment management with
a relevant degree subject such as finance

or economics. Gain qualifications in
areas including compliance and risk,
capital markets, corporate finance
and wealth management through the
Chartered Institute for Securities and
Investment (www.cisi.org).

Accountancy
The aim of accountancy is to help
organisations - ranging from individuals
to global businesses - ensure their
finances comply with legal regulations
and are able to plan for the future.
Accountants usually work either
in accountancy firms, working for
clients, or in the finance department
of a commercial business. There are
also roles within public sector finance
departments. You can specialise in tax,
corporate finance, auditing, business
recovery or forensic accounting.
Numeric and analytical abilities
are obviously important in accountancy,

but so are skills like problem solving,
leadership, communication skills and
the ability to solve problems.

Chances to progress:
You can enter accountancy as a
school leaver, graduate or even as a
postgraduate. The ACCA qualification
from The Association of Chartered
Certified Accountants is the most
common graduate route into
accountancy. For more, see its website
which is at www.accaglobal.com.
Becoming a chartered accountant is
a way of showing you have industryrecognised skills and experience.
You'll follow an on-the-job training
programme with an authorised training
employer. Get the right professional
accountancy qualification and
you are on the right path to
working your way to the
top of your organisation.
J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 0 6 7
http://www.ifslearning http://www.ac.uk http://www.charteredbanker.com http://www.cisi.org http://www.accaglobal.com
JobsAndCareersWithSarahWillingham2016

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