The Ultimate Guide To Finding A Job In Finance In 2023

Whether you’re interested in investment banking, corporate finance, or any other aspect of finance, 2023 continues to be a great time to enter the field. With so many career options and unique experiences available, no matter your skill set, there are plenty of opportunities.

Which jobs are the highest paid in the field? What skills are most important? Which schools have the best finance programs in the country?

Also, what will be essential to have on your resume’s skill section when it’s time to apply for a position?

Whether you already have your degree or are planning out your long-term future, we’ll go over everything you need to know about finding a job in finance in this guide.

Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya on Unsplash

Finance is a lucrative career that offers a diverse array of opportunities. With an increasing demand for investment bankers and analysts, the field is growing rapidly. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in finance will grow by 7 percent from 2021 to 2031.

This will result in nearly 1 million new jobs in the field over the next 9 years.

What’s more, the flexibility associated with financial jobs makes it easy to find work after graduation and make money while you’re still in school.

You can pursue entry-level positions during your junior year and senior year while maintaining your GPA through internships or part-time jobs at companies that offer training programs.

The number one reason that finance is a great career choice is of course the salary. In general, you won’t earn less than $70,000 a year once you are established.

Then some positions allow you to make over $100,000 a year or $200,000 a year, which will be covered later on in the article. It is a field that usually has work available, so no matter what, you won’t be searching for jobs in finance for very long.

If you’re interested in landing a job in finance, there are several core skills that you’ll need to be successful. These include:

• Financial modeling: This involves the use of financial models for purposes like forecasting, budgeting, and strategic planning. It’s also essential to understand how different models work and can be used together when creating your model or analyzing one created by someone else.
• Understand numbers: You’ll need a solid understanding of basic math including fractions, ratios, percentages, and decimals if you want to succeed as a financial analyst or financial advisor (or any other position in finance).
• Good communication and listening skills: As with any career field these days, it’s crucial not just to know what you’re talking about, but also how best to communicate that information effectively.

Focusing on improving your finance skills during your college years and also for anyone already working in finance will be crucial.

With the best education and experience, a career in finance can be rewarding. By studying hard and improving your skills, you could make more money than your peers.

To make the big bucks in the world of finance, you should try to get a job in one of the following positions:

• Financial Analyst – You will analyze and interpret financial information to determine company value or make recommendations to management about changes that would improve performance. You expect to make around $84,000 a year.
• Actuary – This job involves calculating risk for insurance companies, banks, and other businesses by analyzing statistical data. You’ll need to have an understanding of math as well as statistics. The average salary is around $111,000.
• Accountant – This position works with companies on their financial records and tax compliance responsibilities. They monitor cash flow as well as prepare reports and statements for clients. Accountants make around $74,000.
• Investment Banker – Investment bankers are often responsible for raising capital through stock offerings or debt securities; they also advise companies on mergers & acquisitions (M&A) deals. You can expect to earn around $90,000 a year as an investment banker.
• Hedge Fund Analyst –  As a hedge fund analyst, you will be responsible for managing high-risk/high-reward portfolios for investors. Hedge fund analysts earn around $200,000 a year.

If you are still a high school senior wondering where to sharpen your skills to be successful in the finance sector, you’ll have a lot of options.

Studying finance is important even if you don’t want a job in finance, as well all have to crunch numbers in our daily lives.

However, if you want a successful career, you should aim to study at one of the best of the best. We have narrowed it down to the 5 best programs in the United States.

The top five schools include:

• The University of Pennsylvania
• New York University
• The University of Michigan
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge)*
• Boston College

The finance industry is a great place to work for people who want to make money and are interested in working with numbers. You must understand your strengths and weaknesses, that way you’ll know what type of position you’re best suited for.

The number of employees in finance keeps growing, so 2023 and beyond is a great time to enter or continue in the field.