What does a career in Finance look like?



The word “Finance” might make you think of polished suits, briefcases, and skyscrapers, but practically every organisation relies on Finance in some way.

Forging a career in Finance could see you working in any industry anywhere in the world. You might be delivering long-range profit forecasts for a popular brand, creating budgets and policies for a non-profit organisation, monitoring global commodity prices for stock exchange clients, or working directly with people to help them make the most of their money.

What careers can you pursue if you study Finance?

You could work in stockbroking, insurance, banking, as well as in any public, private or non-profit organisation. Your career options could include:

  • CREDIT MANAGER – helping companies manage their credit and collect payments.
  • FINANCIAL ANALYST/MANAGER – helping organisations make decisions based on data you interpret.
  • INVESTMENT STRATEGIST – advising companies on where to invest and why.
  • CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO) – overseeing an organisation’s financial activity and managing their Finance team.
  • FINANCE BROKER – helping people make decisions about their money and how they might spend, invest or borrow it.

You could work for consultancy or professional services firms, universities or institutions, government agencies, banks, brokerage firms, start-ups and more.

What can you do as part of your role in Finance?

Working in Finance, you could help corporate or individual clients plan for their short-term and long-term financial goals. This may include buying property, recommending investments, preparing for major changes such as mergers or retirement, and more. On a typical day, you might:

  • meet with clients,
  • perform market research and analysis,
  • acquire new clients and assess their needs and goals,
  • recommend and execute strategies,
  • monitor clients’ accounts, or
  • identify new opportunities.

What skills do you need?

While having a head for numbers and the skills to analyse, predict and plan is very important, communication skills will also help you succeed in the world of Finance. Key skills you will need include:

  • Critical and analytical thinking skills to track and manage data, and create strategies for your clients.
  • Communication skills to be a confident communicator and presenter when working with clients, attending meetings and recommending strategies.
  • Sales skills to convince your clients that you have their best interests at heart and are working hard to reach their financial goals.

How to prepare for a career in Finance while studying

You can start preparing for your career in Finance long before you graduate. While you are studying, you can aim to:

  • Take up a Finance internship to gain real-world experience, working on projects with actual companies as part of your studies.
  • Attend career fairs and industry events hosted by professional associations and the Murdoch Edge at Kaplan.
  • Join a student society or professional association, and get involved in organising events.
  • Participate in team competitions solving real-world problems and having the opportunity to network along the way.
  • Consider adding another major, like accounting, to your studies to increase your employability.
  • Participate in volunteer work at non-profit organisations or other community groups.

You can opt for the following Finance Double Majors at Murdoch University:

Credit: Murdoch Marketing Australia