Corporate and Public Finance
Common Career Paths
- Financial analysis
- Cash management
- Credit management
- Budget analysis
- Investment management
- Investor relations
- Financial reporting
- Payroll
- Benefits
- Real estate
- Risk management
Employers
- Private businesses of all sizes and types
- State and local government entities
- Federal agencies:
- Internal Revenue Service
- Treasury Department
- Schools and universities
- Nonprofit organizations
- Foundations
- Hospitals
Strategies
- Earn an MBA degree.
- Complete a finance-related internship.
- Seek finance-related leadership roles in campus organizations.
- Develop your digital technology competency including industry-specific software.
- Create opportunities to sharpen your analytical skills (e.g., research with finance faculty).
- Develop proficiency in a sought-after language for international opportunities.
Banking
Common Career Paths
- Corporate credit analysis
- Commercial and industrial lending
- Trust and private wealth management
- Capital services and mergers & acquisitions
- Mortgage loans
- Loan origination and packaging
- Branch management
- Operations
- Cash management
- Credit scoring and risk management
- Financial analysis
- Private banking
Employers
- Commercial banks
- Credit unions
- Savings and loan associations
- Savings banks
- Mortgage banks
- Captive finance companies
- Regulatory agencies:
- Federal Reserve
- Federal Deposit Corporation
- Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
- Office Thrift Supervision
Strategies
- Gain a solid background in business including marketing and accounting.
- Complete an internship or co-op with a bank.
- Demonstrate advanced proficiency in professionalism and work ethic competencies.
Insurance
Common Career Paths
- Claims analysis
- Underwriting
- Risk management
- Sales
- Actuarial science
- Loss control
Employers
- Life insurance firms
- Property and casualty insurance firms
- Commercial banks
- Savings banks
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 verbal and written communication skills.
- Take advanced statistics classes to prepare for a career in actuary science.
- Prepare to take the first in a series of actuarial examinations.
Personal Financial Planning
Common Career Paths
- Sales
- Customer service
- Operations
- Portfolio management
- Financial advising
- Insurance advising
Employers
- Brokerage firms
- Trust companies
- Financial partnerships
- Multi-line insurance firms
- Sole practitioner
Strategies
- Complete a sales internship.
- Demonstrate a highly motivated and entrepreneurial personality.
- Research Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation.
- Develop professional relationships through networking.
Real Estate
Common Career Paths
- Residential brokerage
- Commercial sales
- Appraisals
- Property management
- Real estate portfolio management
Employers
- Real estate brokers
- Commercial banks
- Appraisal firms
- Apartment and condominium complexes
- Developers
- Large corporations: real estate departments
- Real estate investment trusts
- Mutual funds
Strategies
- Obtain sales experience through part-time, summer or internship positions.
- Research real estate broker through the National Association of Realtors.
- Demonstrate sales and entrepreneurial competency.
- Research appraisal apprenticeships.
Investment Banking
Common Career Paths
- Corporate financial analysis
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Equity and debt
- Underwriting
- Institutional bond and equity sales
- Retail bond and equity sales
- Business valuation
- Business sale transactions
- Currency trading
- Derivatives (e.g., options)
- Trading
- Venture capital fund management
- New venture analysis
- Hedge fund management
Employers
- Investment banking firms
- Financial services firms
- Insurance firms
- Commercial banks
Strategies
- Earn an MBA degree to move beyond the entry-level analyst position.
- Be prepared to work many hours of overtime per week and work your way up.
- Develop strong analytical and communication skills.
- Cultivate personal ambition.
- Join a campus-based investment club.
- Obtain a Series 7 License for both institutional and retail broker sales positions.
- Work toward the CFA designation.
Money Management
Common Career Paths
- Research
- Trading
- Marketing
- Portfolio management
- Hedge fund management
Employers
- Portfolio management firms
- Commercial banks
- Investment banks
- Federal Reserve banks
- Insurance firms
Strategies
- Earn an advanced degree in economics, finance, or business.
- Not an entry-level industry, many years of financial experience required.
Accounting
Common Career Paths
- Corporate or Government:
- Financial management
- Financial reporting
- Cost accounting
- Tax planning
- Research
Employers
- Companies of various sizes, in all industries
- Federal agencies and departments:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Internal Revenue Service
- Department of the Treasury
- Office of Management and Budget
- Securities Exchange Commission
- State and local agencies
- Federal Reserve banks
- Insurance firms
Strategies
- Opportunities exist in government and corporates.
- Supplement finance curriculum with additional accounting courses.
- Maintain a strong GPA.
- Complete an internship in a government agency.
- Understand the government job application process.
Getting Started and Advancing in Major
- Develop quantitative skills through 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 become versed in current events and industry vocabulary.
- Seek leadership roles in finance-specific student professional associations.
- Research professional designations and licenses (e.g., Chartered Financial Analyst or Certified Financial Planner).
- Learn a language that is sought after in today’s business environment.
Professional Associations
- American Association of Finance and Accounting
- American Finance Association
- Association for Financial Professionals
- Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards
- Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
- Financial Management Association
- Insurance Information Institute
- International Academy of Business and Financial Management
- Investment Management Consultants Association
- National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
- National Association of Real Estate Brokers
- Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association