8 Reasons to choose careers in finance
If you have a passion for all things financial, pursuing careers in finance might be the perfect option for you. Offering great opportunities and a broad field to work and specialise in, today Job Mail highlights 8 reasons why finance jobs might be the right choice for you.
What is finance?
Very simply put, finance is a term used to broadly describe two activities. The first involves the study of how money (or finances) is managed. The second part involves the processes used in order to acquire funds (or finance).
Remember that finance is an extremely broad term and, when it comes to answering the question of what is finance, the description itself can also get quite complicated. Because there are so many aspects involved in ‘finance’, there are more technical explanations and definitions, but remember that this is also what makes the field of finance such an interesting career option.
8 awesome reasons to choose finance careers
Considering pursuing careers in finance? Here are 8 reasons why finance careers might be perfect for you. Before we get started though, remember to create your Job Alerts on Job Mail to get informed of the latest vacancies in your chosen industry and area.
1. A broad field of roles and specialisations
The financial field is broad and so are the options when it comes to choosing careers in finance. Financial jobs and careers extend to include everything from financial planning, accounting and money management, to investment banking, risk management and even tax.
If you would like to learn more about the career options and opportunities in finance, be sure to check out the Finance Blog Tag on the Job Mail Blog.
2. Finance jobs often come with a high earning potential
Acquiring the right qualifications and choosing the right fields of specialisation within the financial sector, can lead to a high earning potential. Apart from specialisation, entry level positions often also offer good starting salaries.
Read our “High Paying Careers in Finance and Economy” post to learn more about the most rewarding career choices and specialisations within the financial sector.
3. Advancement in your career
As your experience, skills and specialisations advance, so can your career. Climbing the ladder in finance jobs do not only mean the right qualifications, but also experience and hands-on knowledge in the industry.
Hard work and perseverance and a continuous education can help you build a successful career that is challenging, but rewarding in many ways as well.
4. You have the opportunity to help people
Finance is a tricky field for someone without the right knowledge and experience to navigate. Working as a professional, like a financial advisor for example, you will have the opportunity to work with people, helping them to make the right investments and financial choices. This in turn will help these people to grow financially, opening up doors that might have been shut to them before.
Though finance jobs are stressful, sometimes the rewards do outweigh the negative.
5. Work environment and hours
Depending on your field within finance and your job description, your work hours and work environment are mostly consistent. While there might be the late work nights – like month and year end deadlines for payroll and budgeting staff for example – office hours are generally the same.
A lot of professionals in the field do not travel and you will be mostly office based, helping you to establish a routine and work space that suits your needs.
6. A range of companies and businesses to work for
Finance is a part of every business, organisation and company. This is great for financial professionals and those pursuing careers in finance as there are few limits placed on the type of company or business you can work for. While you can work at a firm that specialises in dealing with the finances of other businesses, you can also find work in the internal finance departments of companies and organisations.
7. Continuous education and learning opportunities
Depending on the finance careers you do choose to pursue, you will have the opportunity to continue your education, skills and hands-on experience. As compliance requirements and laws evolve, so will your skills. You will need to keep up with the latest requirements, ensuring that, in terms of finance, everything is above board. This will keep you at the top of your game.
Aside from this, new software and technologies in the field of finance will also give you the opportunity to experiment, learn and implement your new found skills in your day-to-day job.
8. Your skills are valuable and transferable
The skills, knowledge and hands-on experience you gain in one financial field can help you not only in your personal finances and financial planning, but other career paths as well. A qualification in accountancy for example can allow you to specialise within the field (like seen with Chartered Accountants) or be applied in a different financial field.
A BCom in Accounting Sciences from the University of Pretoria for example is not only the first step needed in becoming a Chartered Accountant, but also opens up doors in other financial fields like cost and management accounting, financial management, credit control and internal auditing, to name but a few examples.
Do keep in mind that, as with all careers, there are also some disadvantages to consider. Careers in finance are in many cases a stressful field to go into, each field challenging for its own set of reasons. A continuous education is also required, keeping up with the latest trends, laws and regulations.
Ready to apply for finance jobs on Job Mail? Register your CV on www.jobmail.co.za and browse for great opportunities in finance careers that most interest you.
This article was helpful i will consider some of the options
Thanks for the advice
I can fully confirm how flexible you are with a finance job because every company has such opportunities. Once you understood the principles (of Accounting, Controlling,…) you can use them in every company, and in every country, like Luxembourg.