Financial systems and business operations are a big part of our daily lives, even if we don’t necessarily realize they’re going on around us. They affect every aspect of society one way or another. The world revolves around money and, consequently, finances have always been, and always will be, a huge priority for any company, organization, or government entity. This importance also means that companies that focus on areas such as Finance, Taxes, and Business always have a broad range of job opportunities for prepared professionals in their departments, from entry-level jobs to managerial positions.
Understandably, the Finance sector provides a wide variety of opportunities for Economists, Financial Analysts, Accountants, Risk Analysts, Statisticians, and other professionals with a Mathematics background.
Professionals in the Finance field must develop the necessary analytical skills to be able to dissect financial statements and appraise the financial standing of companies, organizations, municipalities, and other entities. They also have to be able to assess the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of business problems and evaluate the financial implications of corporate and individual actions.
Finance professionals are usually responsible for the following:
- Making the necessary recommendations to senior management and executives in order to increase profitability while reducing costs
- Studying and researching economic and business trends
- Reviewing financial and economic statements, as well as writing reports
- Preparing and presenting financial forecasts
- Analyzing market trends to find opportunities for expansion or for new financial prospects
- Meeting with investors when necessary
All professionals working in the Finance field usually share the same characteristics, which include, but are not limited to:
- Having outstanding accounting, mathematical, computer, and statistical skills.
- Being organized, analytical, and having great problem-solving skills.
- Being great at multitasking and prioritizing. Easily and efficiently managing a high volume, diverse workload.
- Being able to communicate clearly, both in writing and verbally, in order to give detailed reports and presentations, using non-technical language when necessary.
- Having a strong attention to detail and high levels of thoroughness while analyzing economic reports.
- Being extremely resourceful, responsive, and flexible; being able to identify issues and resolve problems in a timely manner.
Aside from the skills listed above, Finance professionals have a demonstrated proficiency using spreadsheets and other software applied to process and represent financial data. They are also capable of presenting financial information to clients and colleagues with varying levels of financial sophistication.
A bachelor’s degree in Finance can be applied to a wide range of careers in virtually every industry. Professionals in the area also need to have strong quantitative and problem-solving skills, as well as a strong mathematical and computer knowledge.