Top 4 finance jobs for your future

There’s an awkward moment in every university graduate’s life. It’ll usually happen on graduation day. As you clutch your degree like a lover, a relative or close friend will approach you and, motioning towards your new qualification, ask, “So what are you going to do with that, then?”

And you’ll be stumped, stammering worse than a teenage boy trying to speak to a girl he fancies. But if that degree you’re clutching is in finance, here are a few occupations you can consider for your future.

Tax

For a truly taxing position, you could do worse than move into the world of tax. With a ton of tax recruitment sites available online, it’s a niche that’s being well catered for – and it’s a sector that’s continually strong.

But what do people in tax actually do? Essentially, they exist to minimise tax liability for businesses or individuals.

It might sound like dry work, but it’s actually stimulating in the same vein as a Sudoku puzzle. If filling out tax returns, balancing books and advising clients sounds like your cup of currency-based tea, give it a go.

Stockbroker

You’ve probably seen films like The Wolf of Wall Street, in which sharply suited men scream at stock options and have more major investments than royalty. But, in the present day, the world of the stockbroker isn’t driven by quite so much machismo and testosterone.

Now, duking it out for stocks and shares is a vibrant and competitive field. And, much like in the “good old days”, it has the potential to pay you a hell of a lot of dough.

Accountant

Ideal for the team players amongst you, being an accountant is like being the financial cog in a business that keeps the rest of the machine well-oiled. It’s a position for the keen-minded amongst you, requiring you to compile and analyse client’s account information.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg – you’ll be tasked with a constantly varied set of accounts, financial queries and documents to audit. For those of you who want to feel integral to a business, here’s your shot.

Bank manager

If you want more of a managerial role but still need to itch that finance bug you’ve got, then bank managing is perfect for you.

Naturally, it’s not a position you can wander up to with nothing but a degree and an earnest smile – you’ll have to work your way up from bank cashier and through a series of sub-management positions before you’re allowed anywhere near the position of bank manager.

But, once you’ve fought your way to the top, the job is a varied and interesting one. You’ll be tasked with everything from promotion, customer service, monitoring sales targets, liaising with head office and ensuring that the numbers add up.