Finance: What Can I Do With This Degree?
Corporate and Public Finance
- Financial Analysis
- Cash management
- Credit management
- Budget analysis
- Investment management
- Investor relations
- Financial reporting
- Payroll
- Benefits
- Real estate
- Risk management
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Employers
- Private businesses of all sizes and types
- State and local government entities
- Federal agencies including Internal Revenue Service, Treasury Department
- Schools and universities
- Nonprofit organizations
- Foundations
- Hospitals
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Information & Strategies
- Complete a related internship.
- Develop strong computer skills, including spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software.
- Sharp analytical skills are crucial in this industry.
- Earn an MBA to reach the highest levels of corporate finance.
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Banking
- Corporate credit analysis
- Commercial lending
- Trust management
- Capital services and mergers & acquisitions
- Mortgage loans
- Originations and packaging
- Branch management
- Operations
- Cash management
- Credit scoring and risk management
- Private banking
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Employers
- Commercial banks
- Credit unions
- Savings and loan associations
- Savings banks
- Mortgage banks
- Captive finance companies
- Regulatory agencies including Federal Reserve, FDIC, OCC, OTS
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Information & Strategies
- Develop a solid background in business including marketing and accounting.
- Get experience through part-time, summer, or internship positions in a financial service firm.
- Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills in order to work well with a diverse clientele.
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Insurance
- Claims analysis
- Underwriting
- Risk management
- Sales
- Actuarial science
- Loss control
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Employers
- Life insurance firms
- Property and casualty insurance firms
- Commercial banks
- Savings banks
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Information & Strategies
- Complete an internship with an insurance agency.
- Talk to professionals in the industry to learn more about claims, underwriting, and risk management. Many good entry-level positions exist in these areas.
- Initiative and sales ability are necessary to be a successful agent or broker.
- Develop strong communication skills, as many positions require interaction with others and the ability to explain information clearly and concisely.
- Take additional statistics classes to prepare for a career in actuary science. Prepare to take the first in a series of actuarial examinations.
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Personal Financial Planning
- Sales
- Customer service
- Operations
- Portfolio management
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Employers
- Brokerage firms
- Trust companies
- Financial partnerships
- Multi-line insurance firms
- Sole practitioners
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Information & Strategies
- Gain experience in sales.
- Must be highly motivated and entrepreneurial.
- Research how one obtains the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation.
- Develop a solid personal network.
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Real Estate
- Residential brokerage
- Commercial sales
- Appraisals
- Property management
- Real estate portfolio management
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Employers
- Real estate brokers
- Commercial banks
- Appraisal firms
- Apartment and condominium complexes
- Developers
- Real estate investment trusts
- Mutual funds
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Information & Strategies
- Obtain sales experience through part-time, summer, or internship positions.
- Research how to become a real estate broker through the National Association of Realtors.
- Develop an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Research apprenticeships in appraisal.
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Investment Banking
- Corporate financial analysis
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Equity and debt
- Underwriting
- Institutional bond and equity sales
- Retail bond and equity sales
- Business valuation
- Business sales transactions
- Currency trading
- Derivatives, e.g. options
- Trading
- Venture capital fund management
- New venture analysis
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Employers
- Investment banking firms (Changes in laws have created a fluid situation in this industry; Mergers and acquisitions continue to take place.)
- Financial service firms
- Insurance firms (The Gramm Leach Bliley Act of 1999 allowed financial service firms to acquire or build investment banking subsidiaries and vice versa.)
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Information & Strategies
- An MBA is required to move beyond the entry-level analyst position in investment banking. Investment banking is highly competitive.
- Be prepared to work many hours of overtime per week, start at the bottom, and pay your dues.
- Develop strong analytical and communication skills.
- Cultivate personal ambitiousness.
- Obtain a Series 7 License for both institutional and retail broker sales positions.
- Work toward the CFA designation.
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Money Management
- Research
- Trading
- Marketing
- Portfolio Management
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Employers
- Portfolio management firms
- Commercial banks
- Investment banks
- Federal Reserve banks
- Insurance firms
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Information & Strategies
- Most positions require an advanced degree in economics, finance, or business, and require many years of financial experience.
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General Information
- Quantitative skills are extremely important. Take additional courses in math, statistics, and accounting.
- Many positions in finance require the ability to analyze and interpret data.
- Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills. Cultivate an eye for detail.
- Gain experience through internships, summer and part-time positions.
- Read the Wall Street Journal and other financial news magazines to stay abreast of current events and to learn more about the industry.
- Join student professional associations in the field of finance.
- Several professional designations and licenses, e.g. Chartered Financial Analyst or Certified Financial Planner, are available to finance professionals working in a particular area. Earning these designations may help one obtain advanced positions.
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Next Steps
Learn about a concentration in finance through North Park's
business program.