Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be a middle-aged man in a business suit to make it into the account, banking and financial industry. The classic stereotype of working in the industry and being chained to your desk is not always the reality for today’s industry. Don’t fall for the trap of thinking working in this industry would mean living your worst high school maths class nightmare every day- there’s a range of businesses to work with and a variety of different opportunities available.

WILL IT SUIT ME?

Young, creative problem-solvers have as much opportunity in the accounting, banking and financial services industry as your resident maths geek. You need to have the financial and technical skills to be able to crunch the numbers, but you also need to back this up with some solid communication skills that will allow you to interact well with clients so they can implement the knowledge you’re providing them. Analytical minds as well as out of the box thinkers can both succeed in this industry if they’re dedicated and ready to put the work in to build a sound theoretical knowledge to back themselves.

HOW CAN I GET THERE?

For this one, most positions need you to get a degree in a relevant field (think Bachelor of Accounting obviously for aspiring accountants, or Bachelor of Actuarial Studies if you want to go into risk analysis). Studying at university will give you the technical and professional skills needed for the area you decide to go into, as well as possible networking and interning opportunities. However, not all roles require a degree - if you’re looking to be payroll clerk or bookkeeping, you may only need a Certificate qualification, and bank clerks can simply be trained on-the-job and have plenty of opportunities to progress in the industry. 

WHAT SKILLS CAN I LEARN?

When you’re not busy networking with others, you’ll be learning skills like:

• Knowledge of the financial markets and how they operate.
• Banking.
• Checking and reporting of financial data.
• Proficient with arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus or statistics.
• Operate computerised accounting systems.
• Prepare financial reports, operational budgets and financial statements.

A career in this industry can be challenging, dynamic and rewarding. There’s plenty of opportunities for progression. Plus, there’s the added perk that you could potentially work with cool companies like Google. Or perhaps you’d like to forge your own path in an entrepreneurial venture. The world is your oyster and the sky is the limit in this industry.