In a broad sense, a financier is a specialist who manages cash flows. This profession is prestigious and in demand. Its representatives need deep knowledge of economics, which can be obtained in a college or higher educational institution.
Who is a financier
The area of responsibility of the financier is the entire volume of financial activities of the organization. At the same time, financiers can deal with completely different issues: from tax planning to audit. What unites the representatives of this profession is that they all deal with large cash flows: the income of enterprises, investments, borrowed funds, municipal budgets, and the state budget.
Professional duties of a financier
The profession of “financier” brings together specialists of different profiles. A financier can specialize in lending, insurance, financial control, taxes, purchases, and investments.
Each specialist performs several duties.
When working with state and municipal budgets:
• Participates in the creation of a draft budget and calculates its indicators;
• ensures the execution of the budget;
• controls transactions with budgetary funds;
• provides financial support for purchases for the needs of the state or municipality.
When working with taxes:
• plans the organization’s tax policy;
• selects the tax regime and applies tax incentives;
• Ensures the timely payment of taxes and fees, completes and submits tax returns;
• conducts tax monitoring.
When managing the organization’s finances:
• plans the organization’s financial activities;
• analyzes the effectiveness of the economic activities of the organization and proposes measures to improve it;
• looking for sources of funding;
• evaluates financial risks and offers the most secure solutions;
• regulates the investment policy of the organization;
• provides financial relations with partners and suppliers, state and municipal authorities.
When exercising financial control:
• checks the activities of the organization for compliance with the law;
• carries out control measures;
• carries out an audit of the financial and economic activities of the organization;
• develops recommendations to eliminate identified violations and shortcomings.
Requirements for a specialist
The financier must know the legislative and regulatory legal acts in taxation, budgets, procurement, financing of state and municipal institutions, financial activities of organizations, and audit bodies. He also needs to be proficient in computer programs that facilitate accounting, calculating indicators, and reporting. Other requirements for a specialist depending on the profile of his activity.
Pros and cons of the profession of a financier
Several aspects make the profession of a financier attractive.
1. High income. Specialists in this field can expect decent pay for their work.
2. Large selection of employment options. A professional with a good education has the knowledge that will be useful for working in various companies. There are also many vacancies in the labor market – the profession is considered to be in demand and promising.
3. Wide development opportunities. A specialist can additionally study related areas of financial activity and expand the range of his duties. The more he knows about his work, the more valuable he is to the employer.
The profession also has disadvantages – they may not be obvious to those who have yet to start working in their specialty, but you need to know about them in advance.
1. High demands. For management, a financial specialist is one of the most important employees. He is expected to be highly competent. The specialist must be aware of the latest economic events. He needs to learn constantly. This is not a field of activity where you can rely only on the knowledge gained in college or university.
2. High competition. Finance is an attractive area of employment, and you may have to compete for a place in the state.
Where to go to study finance
A specialized education can be obtained at a college or university. The advantage of secondary vocational education is a short period of study. Those who study for a fee will also cost a much smaller amount. Universities, in turn, provide students with deeper and more versatile training. Employers also look more favorably on those who have a degree in economics.
Secondary vocational education
Colleges offer training in the specialty “Finance.” Studying based on basic general education lasts two years and ten months, and based on secondary general education – 1 year and ten months. It is possible to study part-time or part-time (the duration of study increases, but at most one and a half years). A graduate is considered a mid-level specialist; he is awarded the qualification “financier.” Admission to the specialty is carried out according to the competition of certificates.
Higher education
Universities provide specialized education in the direction of “Economics.” The choice of programs here is wide. Let’s list some of them:
• “Economics and finances of organizations”;
• “Finance and credit”;
• Applied Economics and Finance;
• “State and municipal finance”;
• “Financial management”;
• “Banking and Finance”;
• “Finance and investments.”
Each program provides for the training of specialists in a particular area of economic activity. Training is conducted full-time, part-time, part-time, and remotely. For admission, you must provide the results of the Unified State Exam in mathematics, and social science (options instead of social science: foreign language, history, computer science, ICT, geography).
Bachelor’s graduates are expected to take master’s programs, where they can deepen their knowledge in their chosen field. In the magistracy, the directions “Economics” and “Finance and Credit” are available.
Where to work as a financier
Graduated specialists have ample opportunities for employment in the following financial and non-financial organizations:
• stock exchanges;
• insurance agencies;
• investment funds;
• banks;
• state and municipal institutions;
• private companies and corporations.
In financial institutions, applicants are offered, for example, the following positions: credit analyst, insurance broker, financial agent, and stock trader. In non-financial: auditor, risk manager, investment specialist, financial analyst, tax manager.
Professionals also provide consulting services to business owners in private. The list of services can be posted on your website or page on social networks. Another option is registering on a freelance exchange and describing your skills and work experience to potential clients.
How much do financiers earn?
The earnings of financiers can vary greatly depending on job title, experience, company size, and location. For example:
- Investment bankers typically earn high salaries, starting salaries for entry-level positions ranging from $75,000 to $150,000 per year, and senior investment bankers earn upwards of $1 million or more.
- Financial analysts often earn lower salaries, with median salaries ranging from $60,000 to $85,000 per year.
- Hedge fund and private equity managers can earn even higher salaries, with some earning billions of dollars per year in performance fees.
It’s important to note that salaries in the finance industry can be highly competitive and dependent on many factors, and these estimates may vary greatly.
Now there are many offers for financiers in the labor market. Business owners often need help understanding financial processes themselves. Municipal budgets, banking, and insurance also need professionals with broad knowledge of the financial system. The demand and prestige of the profession make it popular among those who want to work in the field of economics.
