Beyond the numbers: what you need to know for a career in finance

Those working in finance are often the key to business growth. To enjoy a successful career in accounting and finance, graduates entering the industry must know how to communicate the vital information they hold to help drive a business forward to the next level.

Here, Kimberley Roberts, head of commercial finance at free debt advice provider PayPlan, offers her advice for the skills needed to kick start your career.

The most valuable piece of advice you will ever receive is to get work experience where you can. This will help you to understand what type of career you will enjoy, and given the time spent at work it is much nicer if you are able to work in an area you are passionate about!

Financial careers sit on a broad spectrum, with lots of different sectors for you to explore. When you have found an area that you are particularly interested in, do your research, find the roles that are available and apply for an internship or placement.

Share your knowledge

Confidence is key. With access to insightful information about the business, and the ability to spot industry trends, those involved in finance can drive improvements in the company to ensure they become the leaders in their sector – but they need to know how to share this effectively.

To help the business, and themselves, become a success, those in finance will need to know how to step away from the computer screen and discuss their knowledge with the rest of the company. Making sure you stay visible and approachable is the best way to become a trusted member of the team. You will probably know the data better than anyone else and being able to share that with the wider team could be the difference between little or major success.

Communicating your information

Effective communication is an important skill for anyone in finance. During your studies at university you will most likely be thrown together with a group of random students to create a presentation or project. While this may not be everyone’s ideal situation, it is vital that you make the most of it. Working in teams of people with different backgrounds and working methods forces you to discuss your ideas, work and issues so you can deliver a refined final product – something you will put into practice every day of your working life.

It also helps you develop the necessary leadership skills you will need when you lead your own finance team further down the line in your career.

A world outside numbers

A successful finance graduate will be someone who understands more than just numbers. Learning how a typical business structure works and how each team supports the final product or service will allow you to better understand your position when you enter the world of work.

Building a personality for finance

If you want to climb the ranks in your career, you need to learn how to be flexible with your approach to working, to embrace the changes and deadlines that are suddenly thrown on you, and all while working with others to deliver results.

Alongside good communication, you will have to show strong conviction for everything you do and a dedication to getting results – particularly if you want to set your sights on landing a managerial role. An air of calmness is also helpful in a leadership role, because a stressed management team can impact employee mindset, leading to panic and lost focus amongst the team.

Get into an office

Studying helps build a great foundation for your career, giving you the theories and knowledge needed in the world of business – but this usually only makes up a fraction of what is needed. Real life experience is essential preparation for any position after university. Internships, voluntary work and placements are everywhere, and if you want to land a job after graduation, you need to be making the most of these opportunities.

Alongside getting a feel of what the average day-to-day life is like for a finance employee, you will also learn the basics of office life in terms of professionalism, time management and managing expectations. They also help you build valuable relationships with the people that matter – if you do a good job at your placement, you may find a career waiting for you.