Financial services

This page has been designed to give a starting point for those looking into careers in financial services and includes information on: Corporate, Commercial and Investment Banking, Financial Management, Investment Management, Retail Banking and Personal Financial Services and Taxation.

• What are careers in financial services?
• How do I get into it?
• Finding a job or employer in this sector
• Further information and useful links

What are careers in financial services?

The financial services industry provides all the products that help people manage their money. There are four main areas within Financial Services; Banking, Insurance and Investment Management and Operations.

Although the ‘big’ names dominate press coverage of Financial Services, smaller businesses – chartered accountants, legal firms and independent financial advisers – play an essential role between customers and the major companies (source FSC).

Most large retail banks and building societies recruit graduates into graduate training programmes. These can lead to general branch or head office management or specialist posts. (Prospects).

The financial services industry is closely linked with ordinary individuals’ day-to-day lives. It provides all the products that help people manage their money, including bank accounts, pension schemes, loans, insurance and mortgages.

• AGCAS Industry Insights - Banking, investment and insurance (pdf 124kb)
• Financial Services Skills Council
  Directions is an online careers information service, providing and sector approved information on careers in financial services, accounting and finance. 
• Prospects: Finance
  Prospects is a graduate careers website with profiles on Tax adviser, Tax inspector, Banking manager, Credit analyst, Investment analyst, Trader (equities, FX, futures, bonds), Chartered management accountant, corporate treasurer, financial manager, Commercial banker and Investment banker. 
• Prospects: What can I do with my degree in Accounting and Finance?
• Targetjobs: Accountancy and financial management
  Targetjobs is a graduate careers website with the following job sector information. Hard copy of some Target resources are available from the Careers Centre
• Inside Careers : Careers Choice, City and Finance
  Hard copy available for reference from the Careers Centre. Limited takeaway copies may be available at the start of the academic year.

How do I get into it?

• Association of Corporate Treasurers
• Association of Taxation Technicians
• Chartered Banker
  Click on 'Education' for information on a range of qualifications.
• Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors
  The only professional association for internal auditors in the UK and Ireland.
• Chartered Institute of Taxation
  The CIOT is the leading professional body in the UK for advisers dealing with all aspects of taxation. As a not-for-profit organisation their primary purpose is to promote education in taxation with a key aim of achieving a more efficient and less complex tax system for all.
• ifs School of Finance
• Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation
• International Compliance Assocation
  ICA is the leading global provider of professional certificated qualifications and training in anti money laundering (AML), compliance and fraud/financial crime prevention.
• Kaplan Financial (FTC)
  A leading provider of professional qualifications and business training in the UK and Asia.
• Looking for courses at the university
  See the courses databases for University of Brighton courses in this area.
• Morgan Stanley
  The interviews section on the Morgan Stanley website include specific sample questions for investment banking/sales & trading. Click on ‘careers’, ‘university level’, ‘apply on-line’, ‘interview primer’.
• Prospects Community - Professional services, banking and finance
  Get guidance and advice on courses and jobs in financial services, city markets and professional financial & accounting services. 
• WiWi Online
  This website is dedicated to the research needs of students, researchers, academic staff and young professionals in the fields of economics, accountancy and business studies.

Finding a job or employer is this sector

Newspapers

• The Economist
• Exec Appointments
• Insurance Times

Other agencies and publications

• Accountancy Age
  Jobs in Accounting and Finance
• The Accountancy Job
• Actuaries - Inside Careers
• Association of Corporate Treasurers
• Banking, Securities and Investments – Inside Careers
• Barclays Capital
  Investment banking division of Barclays Bank PLC
• British Bankers Association
  See ‘BBA Members’ for a list of Banks
• CIMA Jobs
  Management Accounting and related jobs
• Career Choice City & Finance – Inside Careers
• Chartered Accountancy – Inside Careers
• Chartered Patent Attorneys - Inside Careers
• Chartered Tax Advisers - Inside Careers
• Commercial Finance People
  Specialist recruitment agency for banking jobs, leasing jobs & factoring jobs.
• GAAPWeb
  Finance and Accountancy jobs from over 300 financial recruiters
• Graduate Audit Jobs
  Careers in Audit is a specialist website for all types of audit jobs including internal, external, I.T & graduate vacancies.
• Graduate Fastrack
• Grow in Finance.com
  Finance & Banking job openings in USA, Europe, Asia & Africa
• Institute of Risk Management
  Jobs as risk managers
• IRRV Job Listing
  Vacancies in revenues, benefits, valuation and rating throughout the country
• Maths Careers
  This website has information on what you can do with a maths degree. It also has job listings in the sector.
• Public Finance
• Randstadt
  Recruits in the areas of banking, accountancy, insurance, finance, marketing, HR and secretarial.
• Society of Actuaries
  An educational, research and professional organization dedicated to serving the public and Society members. The SOA's vision is for actuaries to be the leading professionals in the measurement and management of risk.

Departments where a finance-related degree would come in useful include:

• Audit Commission
• Financial Services Authority
• Government Economic Service 
• HM Revenue and Customs 
• Office for National Statistics

Further information and useful links

Actuaries

• Association of Consulting Actuaries
• Institute of Actuaries
• Society of Actuaries
  The Society of Actuaries is a non-profit educational, research and professional society of members involved in the modelling and management of financial risk and contingent events.

Arbitrators

• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Banking

• The Bank of England

Business Economics

• Association of Corporate Treasurers
  The Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT) is the leading global provider of treasury information.
• Society of Business Economists

Financial advisors and services

• Association of Independent Financial Advisers
  A trade organisation for independent financial advisers contains career information.
• Association of Private Client Investment Managers and Stockbrokers (APCIMS)
• The Baltic Exchange
  A membership organisation that provides independent daily shipping market information, maintains professional ship-broking standards and resolve disputes.
• Euronet Worldwide
  Euronet Worldwide processes secure electronic financial transactions.
• Finance and Leasing Association (FLA)
  FLA is the major UK industry body for the asset finance, consumer finance and motor finance sectors.
• Institute of Financial Accountants
• Institute of Financial Services (IFS)
  The Institute of Financial Services (ifs) is the official brand of The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB), a registered charity and one of the leading bodies for the provision of both education and life-long career support services to the financial services industry, and formal financial education to the public at large
• Institute of Risk Managers
  IRM is risk management's professional education body
• The London Stock Exchange
• LCH Clearnet
  LCH Clearnet is one a European based counterparty.  They currently run a successful Student Placement Programme
• United Kingdom Society for Investment Professionals (UKSIP)

Taxation

• Association of Taxation Technicians
  Professional body for those providing tax compliance services and related activities in the UK. Site includes education information
• British Venture Capital Association
  Represents UK-based private equity and venture capital firms. Site includes member and professional advice directory and industry information.
• Chartered Institute of Taxation

Trade Associations

• Association of British Insurers
• Association of Financial Markets in Europe (AFME)
  Advocates stable, competitive, and sustainable European financial markets that support economic growth and benefit society.
• Association of Investment Companies
• Association of Unit Trusts and Investment Funds
• British Bankers Association
• Building Societies Association
• The International Capital Market Association (ICMA)
  ICMA is the self-regulatory organisation and trade association for the international securities market.
• UK Payments

Further information and useful links

• Association of Business Recovery Professionals
• The Banker
  Financial Times Group, Monthly
• Business Link
  Practical advice for Business. Part of the DTI
• Centre for Economic Policy Research
• Econometric Society
  International society for the advancement of economic theory in its relation to statistics and mathematics
• Financial Services Authority
  The FSA aims to maintain efficient, orderly and clean financial markets and help retail consumers achieve a fair deal.
• Intercontinental Exchange
  Intercontinental Exchange operates global commodity and financial products marketplaces.
• International Institute of Public Finance
  The aims of the Institute are the study of Public Finance and Public Economics and the establishment of contacts and exchange of opinions on these problems among persons of all nationalities. 
• Royal Economic Society
  It is a professional association promoting the encouragement of the study of economic science in academic life, government service, banking, industry and public affairs.
• Society of Business Economists: Careers in Business Economics
• TaxWorking
  Career opportunities working in the tax profession. 

Investment

• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute
  Serve its members and investors as a global leader in educating and examining investment managers and analysts and sustaining high standards of professional conduct.