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.
Information on other similar jobs for accounting and finance graduates include: accountancy, Insurance careers: including actuarial work, pensions, management services
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.
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?
Prospects Sector Guides: Banking, investment and insurance
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 Taxation
There are mainly two separate careers available in taxation: working for the government, and working as a tax practitioner in private practice, commerce or industry.
Institute of Internal Auditors
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.
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.
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’.
Looking for courses at the University
See the courses databases for University of Brighton courses in this area.
Finding a job or employer is this sector
Newspapers
Other agencies and publications
Accountancy Age
Jobs in Accounting and Finance
Association of Corporate Treasurers
Banking Jobs1
Advertises vacancies nationwide. Part of the One Job Group.
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
Business Services Jobs1
Advertises vacancies nationwide. Part of the One Job Group.
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.
Financial Job Spot
A job listings website specialising in finance jobs. Includes vacancies
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.
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
Randstadt
Recruits in the areas of banking, accountancy, insurance, finance, marketing, HR and secretarial.
Maths Careers
This website has information on what you can do with a maths degree. It also has job listings in the sector.
Departments where a Finance related degree would come in useful include:
- Audit Commission
- Government Economic Service
- Office for National Statistics
- HM Revenue and Customs
- Financial Services Authority
Further information and useful links
Actuaries
Association of Consulting Actuaries
Society of Actuaries
The Society of Actuaries is a nonprofit educational, research and professional society of members involved in the modeling and management of financial risk and contingent events.
Arbitrators
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Banking
Business Economics
Society of Business Economists
Association of Corporate Treasurers
The Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT) is the leading global provider of treasury information.
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 shipbroking standards and resolve disputes.
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
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.
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
Chartered Institute of Taxation
British Venture Capital Association
Represents UK-based private equity and venture capital firms. Site includes member and professional advice directory and industry information.
Trade Associations
Association of British Insurers
Association of Investment Companies
Association of Unit Trusts and Investment Funds
Building Societies Association
The International Capital Market Association (ICMA)
ICMA is the self-regulatory organisation and trade association for the international securities market.
London Investment Banking Association
Further information and useful links
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.
Association of Business Recovery Professionals
The Association for Financial Markets in Europe
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.