Financial Services Professionals: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of financial services professionals about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for financial services professionals to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of financial services professionals expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for financial services professionals.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Financial Services Professionals?
Do financial services professionals need a degree? What kind of experience do financial services professionals typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for financial services professionals to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Financial Services Professionals
Jobs Postings for Financial Services Professionals By Education
- High School or GED: 56,830 (44%)
- Bachelor's degree: 40,574 (31%)
- No Education Listed: 27,990 (21%)
- Master's degree: 4,012 (3%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 792 (1%)
High School or GED is the level of education sought the most by employers of financial services professionals. According to job data, a High School diploma or GED was required for 44% of positions. In 31% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 21% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Financial Services Professionals
Jobs Postings for Financial Services Professionals By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 26,970 (41%)
- 2-3 Years: 26,354 (40%)
- 4-6 Years: 8,782 (13%)
- 7-9 Years: 2,250 (3%)
- 10+ Years: 2,074 (3%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for financial services professionals. In 41% of job postings for Financial Services Professionals, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 40% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 13% of job postings for financial services professionals.
What Kind of Degree Do Financial Services Professionals Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for financial services professionals, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 7 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective financial services professionals, and in 2023 a total of 86,661 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective financial services professionals.
Top Degree Programs for Financial Services Professionals
Top 5 Degree Programs for Financial Services Professionals (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Economics, General. | 21,664 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 5,054 |
| Business/Managerial Economics. | 4,864 |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General. | 3,378 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Economics, General. | 21,664 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 5,054 |
| Business/Managerial Economics. | 4,864 |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General. | 3,378 |
| Business and Personal/Financial Services Marketing Operations. | 548 |
| Investments and Securities. | 374 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Financial Services Professionals
Develop the foundational financial skills needed to keep business running successfully, including financial reporting and analysis, managerial accounting, and federal taxes, so you can start your career as an accounting technician, tax preparer, payroll assistant and more.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Turn a head for numbers into a career as a financial associate or analyst, and help businesses turn financial data into actionable insights that can maximize investments, improve cash flow, and impact decisionmaking.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Master finance principles and develop all-inclusive corporate finance strategies for business firms and financial institutions.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Leverage customized solutions to help families and individuals organize life priorities and plan for their financial futures.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Distinguish yourself as a knowledgeable accounting professional with advanced technical, research, and communication skills.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 17
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Financial Services Professionals Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by financial services professionals to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for financial services professionals, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Financial Services Professionals
Based on 110,671 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Financial Services Professionals
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 43,761 | 40% |
| Loans | 39,369 | 36% |
| Sales Prospecting | 24,267 | 22% |
| Mortgage Loans | 23,879 | 22% |
| Cash Handling | 20,599 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Financial Services Professionals
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | 66,846 | 60% |
| Sales | 59,757 | 54% |
| Communication | 47,944 | 43% |
| Problem Solving | 28,168 | 25% |
| Management | 26,302 | 24% |
Based on 110,671 job postings related to financial services professionals, financial services was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 40% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for loans, sales prospecting, mortgage loans, cash handling and commercial banking were also highly sought.
As for common skills, customer service was the most desired skill found in job postings for financial services professionals, followed by sales, communication, problem solving, management and interpersonal communications.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 43,761 | 40% |
| Loans | 39,369 | 36% |
| Sales Prospecting | 24,267 | 22% |
| Mortgage Loans | 23,879 | 22% |
| Cash Handling | 20,599 | 19% |
| Commercial Banking | 20,562 | 19% |
| Self Service Technologies | 20,431 | 18% |
| Marketing | 16,479 | 15% |
| Product Knowledge | 15,311 | 14% |
| Automated Teller Machine | 15,110 | 14% |
| Cross-Selling | 14,445 | 13% |
| Truth In Lending Act | 14,425 | 13% |
| Banking | 14,120 | 13% |
| Retail Banking | 13,958 | 13% |
| Finance | 13,893 | 13% |
| Investments | 13,158 | 12% |
| Risk Management | 12,264 | 11% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 11,323 | 10% |
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authorities | 11,257 | 10% |
| Consumer Lending | 11,041 | 10% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | 66,846 | 60% |
| Sales | 59,757 | 54% |
| Communication | 47,944 | 43% |
| Problem Solving | 28,168 | 25% |
| Management | 26,302 | 24% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 23,297 | 21% |
| Operations | 21,601 | 20% |
| Detail Oriented | 18,670 | 17% |
| Influencing Skills | 16,392 | 15% |
| Self-Motivation | 16,177 | 15% |
| Writing | 15,933 | 14% |
| Time Management | 14,011 | 13% |
| Leadership | 13,470 | 12% |
| Relationship Building | 12,797 | 12% |
| Professionalism | 12,464 | 11% |
| Microsoft Office | 11,610 | 10% |
| Multitasking | 11,452 | 10% |
| Microsoft Excel | 10,593 | 10% |
| Coaching | 9,967 | 9% |
| Presentations | 9,404 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about financial services professionals? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for financial services professionals.
What do financial services professionals do?
How much do financial services professionals make?
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