The Most Popular Job Roles In Finance

There is a plethora of jobs in the finance industry. Many finance jobs are centered around several primary professions such as commercial banking and investment banking. Naturally the most common jobs fall within those two categories. Currently, the more popular of the two is investment banking. Consequently, the most popular job roles in finance are positions in the investment banking arena.

Industry coverage is a large area covered by investment bankers who specialize in product groups such as utilities, aerospace, real estate, etc. This group has a group of senior bankers called Managing Directors which are backed by Directors, Vice Presidents and Associates. The managing director will help strategize the next move for the group as it grows and the team usually recruits new graduates into this group quite aggressively.

Corporate finance is an area with the primary function of raising money for corporate ventures. As an analyst in this group, you would be responsible for preparing registrations and attend road shows where investors are sold securities. Debt Capital Markets or Equity Capital Markets originate new issues of bonds or securities. They advise about the best time to issue these new debts or equities. Mergers and Acquisitions is yet another department which is under investment banking. Mergers and acquisitions generate fee income for investment banks. The bank sets up the acquisition even under market conditions that would make the acquisition unfavorable through creative methods that benefit all parties and the bank gets paid handsomely for their effort.

Project Finance help fund the infrastructure of a government or oil capital project, generally funneling funds from one foreign country to another when other options for borrowing have dried up. Trading is a job with which most of us are familiar. It is sales of securities on the stock market floor or from an office. Structured finance, derivatives, advisory, equity and fixed income research and international sales and emerging markets are other jobs that can be performed in investment banking.

Public finance, retail brokerage or stockbroker, institutional sales and ratings analyst are the remaining positions in investment banking. Many of these jobs are more glamorous than the others, but they all pay well. The most popular job roles in finance include any position in investment banking which comes with a hefty salary and many also pay bonuses. Commission often accompanies any position that generates sales to compensate for performance. Ratings analysts command an average annual salary of 68,000 with an average of 5,000 in bonuses. An exceptional employee should expect a higher salary. A managing director in Industry Coverage can command a salary of 130,000 to 220,000 annually. The job you pursue in Investment Banking will be your personal choice. Your compensation will be excellent and hopefully, you will find a home based on your talent and interests.