non corporate finance careers

Non-Corporate Careers for Financial Professionals

  • Teacher
  • Financial Advisor
  • Entrepreneur
  • Venture Capitalist
  • Non-Profit Financial Professional

Working in the corporate world can offer excellent income and a career path that leads to the executive level. But the long hours and dedication the corporate world requires may not offer as much job satisfaction as non-corporate finance careers. Some graduates thrive on the stressful environment of the trade floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Other graduates may fare best in an environment where problem-solving and an entrepreneurial spirit are more important than the number of hours one spends at a desk. Today’s degree holders can choose a career in corporate finance. They can also seek out a job outside the corporate world in one of the five following careers.

Related Resource: 50 Best Online Master of Finance Degree Programs

Teacher

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree can pass that knowledge on as a teacher at virtually any level of the educational world. After receiving a bachelor’s degree, you may wish to earn a teaching credential to work at a grammar school as a teacher. Those who hold bachelor’s degrees may also want to enroll in a graduate program and step into the role of college professor. In addition to work in traditional school environments, teachers may also find work with organizations and businesses that provide financial advice and lessons to employees or participants. For example, there are companies that provide advice to veterans and military communities via Certified Personal Financial Counselors.

Financial Advisor

A financial advisor helps clients create strategies for growing wealth over their lifetimes or over the course of a short amount of time. For example, a financial advisor may help one family save money for a vacation while another client may need a financial plan for retirement. The advisor will discuss:

  • assets
  • liabilities
  • expenses
  • income

The advisor will then figure out the best strategy for growing wealth over time. A student may want to enroll in a program that leads to taking the CFP Exam from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Becoming certified helps a graduate maintain competent and ethical standards for personal financial planning.

Entrepreneur

Potentially lucrative options for professionals are:

  • starting a business
  • becoming an entrepreneur
  • working with a partner in a start-up company

A finance degree isn’t required for work as an entrepreneur. However, knowledge of the financial markets and wealth building strategies can prove to be an excellent knowledge base for growing a company from an idea to a full-fledged business. The most important facet of creating a thriving business is maintaining consistent cash flow. A finance degree program will offer a future entrepreneur the ability to create a fiscally responsible business.

Venture Capitalist

A financial professional may find rewarding employment as a venture capitalist where he or she will need to:

  • understand how to read current market conditions
  • gauge the future popularity of various industries
  • recognize how to solicit money from other investors for projects

Future students who have yet to complete their education may wish to locate a program with a concentration in venture capital work. Students will gain knowledge of how to analyze and screen investment opportunities. They will also learn how to create a framework in the negotiation, pricing, and structuring of investment strategies in venture capital opportunities.

Non-Profit Financial Professional

The National Council of Nonprofits suggests that the financial management of non-profit organizations helps support the charitable mission of organizations. Excellent financial policies can ensure an organization:

  • avoids conflicts of interest
  • prevents fiscal crises
  • ensures the appropriate use of funds paid to employees and in the administrative costs of the non-profit entity

A non-profit financial professional will:

  • create gift acceptance policies
  • conduct annual financial reviews
  • regularly update the organization’s fiscal procedures and policies

Although non-profit organizations aren’t profit-driven, they must still operate in a manner that ensures adequate cash flow. A financial professional is an outstanding asset for that purpose.

Conclusion

Choosing a job in corporate financials or a non-corporate environment can occur at any time in a financial professional’s career. All future graduates of finance degree programs should investigate the benefits of working in each environment so as to secure the best opportunity for a rewarding and satisfying job in finance.

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