What Can I do with a Bachelor’s in Finance?
August 30, 2012
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Every person walking the face of the Earth has a unique talent that is possessed by others. Some individuals are great at crafting things with their hands; others are great at wrapping their minds around abstract thoughts like those presented in sociology. Then there are those who have a mind for numbers. For these folks a career in finance could be worthwhile.
Ideally those with a knack for working with numbers will obtain a Bachelor’s in Finance, but there is a question that remains for them. What can I do with a Bachelor’s in Finance? While everyone’s experience is different, we’ve found that generally there are a number of careers in various fields awaiting those individuals who have earned a Bachelor’s in Finance.
Financial Manager
This is one of the high-end career options for experienced individuals in the field of finance. A Bachelor’s in Finance is viewed as the minimum qualification for those interested in working as a Financial Manager, with many employers preferring individuals earn a Master’s in the long run. [bls.gov]
Financial managers are responsible for overseeing the finances of an entire organization. Typical duties include producing financial reports, directing investment strategies, and developing plans to secure the long term financial health of the company.
Personal Financial Advisor
If managing the finances of an entire organization isn’t ideal there is always work to be found managing the finances of individuals. A Bachelor’s in Finance is ideal for Personal Financial Advisors and is often the degree required for a successful career in this field. [bls.gov]
The overall goal of an advisor is to help individuals set up lifetime goals and help direct their finances toward achieving that goal. This is achieved by helping individuals assess investment options, deal with taxes, and make insurance decisions.
Tax Collector
There are two certainties in life: death and taxes. A Bachelor’s in Finance can prepare students for a possible career as a tax collector. Typical duties in this career field include dealing with delinquent accounts, investigating tax returns, and helping individuals settle tax related debts.
According to Yahoo! Education, this position was recently ranked #6 on a list of jobs in America that are built to last a lifetime. As long as there are bills to be paid by the government, there will be taxes to be collected.
Budget Analyst
Working as a Budget Analyst is a great opportunity for finance majors to show their ability to manage and analyze financial accounts. Budget Analysts are typically expected to help companies properly distribute their monetary resources in an effective and efficient manner. Other duties can include the development and implementation of budgets as well as creating budget summaries.
Work as a Budget Analyst ranked #7 on Yahoo! Education's list of jobs that are built to last a lifetime. The recent recession focused attention on the finances of businesses both large and small. These businesses have come under greater scrutiny in the aftermath, and efficiently managing their budgets is important.
With so many options for graduates of finance programs, there is little reason not to make use of mathematic skills to work in the finance sector of the business world.
Sources:
http://education.yahoo.net/articles/careers_built_to_last.htm?kid=MQN3
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm#tab-2
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Business-and-Financial/Personal-financial-advisors.htm#tab-2
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Business-and-Financial/Financial-analysts.htm#tab-4