Business & Finance Careers
WHAT ARE BUSINESS AND FINANCE CAREERS?
As one of the main drivers of the UK economy, finance and business careers exist in just about every industry you can think of. From healthcare to retail and from huge multinational banks to small start-ups or charities, all rely on skills in business and finance.
These careers cover a wide range of professions focused on the management, analysis and decision-making aspects of financial activities within organisations. By keeping up to date with market trends, professionals in these fields create investment strategies, manage budgets and provide financial advice to help businesses grow their profits or drive the success of organisations. If you have an eye for detail and are passionate about helping businesses to thrive, this is a great sector to explore!
WHY SHOULD I BE INTERESTED?
As business and finance skills are essential to such a huge range of industries, these careers offer great opportunities for you to find your niche and shape your own career. You could specialise in areas such as investment banking, financial planning or market analysis and build your skills to progress rapidly to well-paid roles in a sector that interests you.
As the industry is constantly evolving, these careers often reward innovation and provide opportunities to work on exciting projects to develop new financial products and analytical tools. What’s more, your work could touch almost every part of society. Whether you’re helping individuals to achieve their financial goals, advising businesses to grow their profits or supporting wider economic stability, you’ll play a key role in shaping the UK’s economy.
KEY FACTS AND FIGURES
GROWTH
Financial Services currently employ over 1 million people in the UK and the sector continues to evolve
EMPLOYERS
The largest employers include banks, insurance companies and accountancy firms
SKILLS
Employers are increasingly looking for tech skills alongside financial knowledge
SALARY
Although salaries vary, roles are often well paid with a sector average of around £52,500
WHAT TYPES OF PEOPLE ARE SUITED TO BUSINESS AND FINANCE ROLES?
There are a wide range of different roles within the business and finance sectors which suit different individuals’ strengths. In general, people attracted to these fields tend to have strong analytical skills – they enjoy using facts and figures to make informed decisions and solve complex financial problems.
The accuracy and precision needed in these careers has traditionally attracted people who are detail-oriented with a keen eye for numbers but in this ever-evolving industry adaptability and resilience are also important qualities. As digital services become the norm, employers increasingly value skills in technology to develop innovative new products and respond to customer needs. If you have a genuine interest in finance and a drive for continuous learning, you’re likely to thrive in these careers.
WHAT KIND OF ROLES ARE OUT THERE?
Auditor
19k – 65k
Starter – Experienced
37 – 39
Average hours per week
Occasional evenings
What’s the role?
Internal and external auditors check organisations’ financial records and procedures to make sure they are accurate and efficient.
Where should I start?
Auditors need to draw on a strong analytical ability and knowledge of accounting to identify risks. There are several different routes into this career
Firstly you could consider completing a degree to help you enter into a graduate training scheme. Employers will accept a range of degrees but relevant subjects could include:
- accountancy
- economics
- business and finance
- IT and computing
Search courses here
Alternatively, if you’d like to gain some practical experience while you learn it may be possible to complete an apprenticeship such as:
- higher apprenticeship as an internal audit practitioner
- level 7 apprenticeship as an internal audit professional
Get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
Business Adviser
25k – 54k
Starter – Experienced
37 – 39
Average hours per week
Occasional evenings and weekends to attend appointments
What’s the role?
Business advisers give advice and support to new business start-ups and help established businesses to grow.
Where should I start?
Successful Business Advisers have a genuine interest in supporting businesses to thrive and are able to draw upon their own experience in a variety of areas such as business planning, finance and project management. There are a number of ways you could start building this experience
Firstly you could consider taking a college course to start developing your business and finance knowledge. Relevant subjects could include:
- Level 2 certificate in financial education
- Level 3 diploma in enterprise
- Level 3 diploma in financial studies
Find course providers here
To take this further, you could complete a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a relevant subject such as:
- business management
- business enterprise
- marketing
- project management
Search courses here
Or if you’d like to gain some practical experience while you learn, you could complete a junior management consultant higher apprenticeship
Find apprenticeships near to you here
Or get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
You could also look into joining the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs for professional development, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
Economist
25k – 75k
Starter – Experienced
37 – 39
Average hours per week
Hours between 8am and 6pm
What’s the role?
Economists advise government departments, businesses, banks and other organisations about the economy.
Where should I start?
Economists need a knowledge of a range of economic and social topics to be able to effectively research anything from interest rates and employment levels to health and international development. There are a number of ways to start building this knowledge
You could start by completing a degree in a relevant subject such as:
- economics
- statistics
- mathematics
- business studies
- finance and accounting
This could help you gain a place on an economist graduate scheme.
Search courses here
Alternatively if you’d like to start building some practical experience while you learn, you could consider completing a level 6 professional economist apprenticeship.
Find apprenticeships near to you here
Or get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
There are further opportunities for training or networking with the Royal Economic Society and The Society of Professional Economists.
Financial Adviser
23k – 45k
Starter – Experienced
35 – 38
Average hours per week
Occasional evenings and weekends to attend appointments
What’s the role?
Financial advisers help people and organisations choose investments, savings, pensions, mortgages and insurance products.
Where should I start?
Financial Advisers not only need a specialist knowledge of investments, savings and money management but great people skills in order to advise people. There are a number of different routes into this career.
Firstly, you could start building your knowledge through taking a college course. This could help you to apply for trainee financial adviser positions. Relevant courses could include:
- Level 2 certificate in financial education
- Level 3 diploma in enterprise
- Level 3 diploma in financial studies
Find course providers here
You could also consider completing a degree which could help you to enter at a higher level. Particularly relevant subjects include:
- financial services
- business management
- accountancy
Search courses here
Alternatively if you’d like to build some practical experience while you learn, you could look into completing a financial adviser higher apprenticeship or a financial services professional degree apprenticeship.
Find apprenticeships near to you here
Or get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
Whichever route you take, to become a Financial Adviser, you’ll need to be registered as an ‘approved person’ by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Insurance Broker
20k – 65k
Starter – Experienced
41 – 43
Average hours per week
Occasional weekends
What’s the role?
Insurance brokers use their knowledge of the insurance market to help find the right cover, at the best price, for their customers.
Where should I start?
Insurance brokers not only need an in-depth knowledge of risks and the insurance market but great customer service skills to successfully arrange insurance cover for their clients. There are a number of different ways into this career.
Firstly, you could consider completing a degree which could help you apply for a place on insurance training schemes. Employers will accept a range of different degrees but particularly relevant subjects could include:
- business studies
- finance
- surveying
- engineering
Search courses here
Alternatively if you’d like to build your insurance knowledge while gaining some workplace experience, you could look into completing an insurance professional higher apprenticeship.
Find apprenticeships near to you here
Or get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
It may also be possible to enter as an Insurance Technician or Junior Account Handler and work your way up by completing insurance industry qualifications.
You can explore relevant qualifications and training opportunities through the Chartered Insurance Institute
Investment Analyst
22k – 65k
Starter – Experienced
36 – 38
Average hours per week
Occasional evenings and weekends
What’s the role?
Investment analysts help stock market traders, stockbrokers and fund managers make decisions about investments.
Where should I start?
Investment Analysts need strong research skills to be able to understand and keep up to date with financial markets and advise clients. There are a number of ways to start developing these skills
Firstly, you could build your knowledge by completing a degree in a relevant subject such as:
- economics
- maths
- business studies
- accountancy
- finance
Search courses here
Alternatively you get into this job through a senior investment and commercial banking professional degree apprenticeship. This will combine studying for professional exams with gaining workplace experience.
Find apprenticeships near to you here
Or get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
To find out more about training opportunities, you could look into joining organisations like the CFA Institute and Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.
Management Accountant
22k – 55k
Starter – Experienced
37 – 39
Average hours per week
Hours between 8am and 6pm
What’s the role?
Management accountants look after a company’s finances and find ways to improve profitability.
Where should I start?
Management Accountants analyse financial information to advise businesses – if you’re interested in helping businesses to thrive this is a great career to explore
You’ll need to gain some relevant professional qualifications but there are a number of ways into these
Firstly, you could complete a relevant apprenticeship which will give you workplace experience while you study. This could include:
- professional accountancy technician higher apprenticeship
- accountancy and taxation professional higher apprenticeship
Get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
Alternatively, you could complete a degree and then apply for graduate schemes that offer training towards a professional accountancy qualification. Employers often accept a variety of degree but particularly relevant subjects could include:
- accountancy
- accounting and finance
- business and management
Search courses here
You can find out more about working and training in accountancy from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Management Consultant
25k – 60k
Starter – Experienced
37 – 39
Average hours per week
Occasional evenings and weekends
What’s the role?
Management consultants help organisations solve problems and improve efficiency.
Where should I start?
Management Consultants need great problem solving skills to help organisations operate better. There’s no direct path into this career and so there’s lots of different way you could build your experience
You could start building your knowledge by completing a college course in a relevant subject such as:
- Level 2 certificate in financial education
- Level 3 diploma in enterprise
- Level 3 qualifications in business studies
Find course providers here
To take this further, you could complete a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in an areas such as:
- business studies
- maths
- finance
- science
- project management
Search courses here
A different route into this career could be through a junior management consultant higher apprenticeship which will help you build your knowledge while gaining workplace experience.
Find apprenticeships near to you here
Or get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
You can find out more about careers in management consultancy from the Management Consultancies Association and the Chartered Management Institute.
Marketing Manager
27k – 65k
Starter – Experienced
37 – 40
Average hours per week
Occasional evenings and weekends to attend appointments
What’s the role?
Marketing managers plan how to promote products, services or brands and oversee all marketing activity.
Where should I start?
Businesses rely on Marketing Managers to drive profits by promoting their products and services in marketing campaigns. There are loads of different routes into this career
You could start by completing a degree and then apply to join a company graduate marketing management scheme. Employers often accept a range of degrees but particularly relevant subjects could include:
- marketing
- business management
- digital marketing
- advertising
- psychology
Search courses here
Or if you’d like to gain some workplace experience while you learn, you could consider a marketing assistant or marketing executive advanced apprenticeship.
Find apprenticeships near to you here
Or get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
It may also be possible to start as a marketing executive and work your way up. You would likely need to complete some qualification in digital marketing to help you progress.
You can find out more about marketing careers from The Chartered Institute of Marketing and The Institute of Data and Marketing.
Product Manager
28k – 75k
Starter – Experienced
37 – 39
Average hours per week
Hours between 8am and 6pm
What’s the role?
Product Managers work with the people who make a product, those who use the product and those who manage the business to ensure that the product is meeting everyone’s needs.
Where should I start?
Product Managers need to draw on their knowledge of business, marketing and data analysis as well as their excellent communication skills to successfully drive forward products. This is a varied career with a number of different routes in
As products range across companies from technical products such as apps or financial products such as credit cards or savings accounts, employers often look for specialist knowledge of the subject area. You could get started by completing a degree in a relevant subject, this could include:
- business studies
- computer science
- maths
- finance
- project management
Search courses here
It may also be possible to break into this career through a product management apprenticeship. This will help you work towards the qualifications you need while gaining workplace experience.
Apprenticeships are often offered directly by individual companies but you can get started with ideas here
Or get started with advanced, higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities here
