You’ve trained for what feels like most of your adult life to be an accountant, banker or financial analyst, only to find that upon graduation, you’re no longer sure of what field you want to go into. There’s no need to chastise yourself – as the London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) proves, there are plenty of job opportunities in the field that will make great use of your experience, but might perhaps suit your preferred lifestyle a little more. Here are a few careers that you may not have known could be accessed via a finance degree.
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Client development
Perfect for those who: want a more sociable role
A great option for those who find traditional financial management a little too isolating, becoming a professional client developer in a role such as a hedge fund manager or private equity partner can be a great alternative that still makes good use of a mathematical mind. Both of these jobs involve plenty of client and customer-facing opportunities, developing long-standing relationships with outside banks and businesses.
Social finance
Perfect for those who: don’t want to live in the big city
If you want to use your financial ability for the greater good, it may be worth becoming a big fish in a small pond by undertaking work with a small financial charity. With roles ranging from community investor to non-profit executive, these opportunities exist all around the country in various shapes and sizes, meaning you don’t necessarily have to head for the capital to be a high flyer. Working as a social financer also tends to be a little more hands-on than traditional financial management, leaving you with a true feeling of goodwill when you achieve a great outcome for a worthy cause.
Find more information on social finance roles and responsibilities at: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/financialcareers/07/social_finance.asp
Academics
Perfect for those who: want to keep learning
If your interest in finance comes from a scholarly place, perhaps consider furthering your studies to become a lecturer. Although lecturing is hard work and requires a professional doctorate (often a PhD or equivalent) it can be highly rewarding to train the financial experts of the future. Life as an academic often comes with a reasonable level of autonomy in terms of setting work schemes, liaising with the press and taking time to write academic books and papers – a strong work ethic is a must!
Running your own business
Perfect for those who: want to manage their own time
If the prescriptiveness of the nine to five is what is getting you down, why not skip straight to the top and run your own business? The perfect choice for those who are blessed with a mind that is both mathematical and creative, running your own business can be stressful, but it will almost certainly guarantee high levels of pride when a job is done well.
Just remember to stay in contact with your old colleagues or fellow students for networking opportunities, and bear in mind that you may have to stick out a few years within a company first in order to cement yourself the best reputation possible and secure future work. While this may mean putting your dreams on hold, you’ll be incredibly grateful for the experience later on.
And here’s an insight on what to consider when planning for a finance degree through online programs or in-class courses:
