Finance people are the big earners of today. Everyone nowadays wants a career in finance, all thanks to movies like the American Psycho or personalities like Warren Buffet. And for good reason. The media around us and the examples we see portray people in finance as the people with jet-setting lives; fast cars, fast money, fast lives. All of this is bound to attract a person with a normal 9-5 job, no matter the real lucrativeness of the job. But there’s a problem. Not everyone can be the Oracle of Omaha and not everyone takes up finance as their major in college. So, here’s the question; can you still be a Wall Street dynamo? And, how to get a job in finance without a degree?
Well, good news starts from here. Degrees are becoming more and more irrelevant today; Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was the first to voice this when he was interviewed in 2020, saying that degrees aren’t supposed to take you much far than what wonders skills can do for you. He went so far as to day that his companies prefer people with real, tangible skills rather than paper degrees that show you went to a banal class daily. Needless to say, making it big in finance now requires skill or flair than a degree. That is the way forward, at least. Older and more established players in finance still ask for a degree though; and not just any degree, one from prolific schools and universities. So how to get a job in finance without a degree?
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Get a Job in Finance Without a Degree: 7 Hacks
As stated above, getting a job in finance without a degree is easier when your dream destination prefers skills over a degree. But more old and established finance houses do require degrees, some from prestigious institutions. However, not to worry. These eight steps are a sure-fire way to increase your chances of landing a job in finance without a degree.
Get Proficient in the Lingo:
Not having a degree is acceptable in most cases. But you simply can’t walk around in finance and not know the basic terminologies and concepts. To start out at a job in finance without a degree, you first need to get a good grip on the industry lingo. All the terminologies, concepts and the nicknames. That way, on the outside, you can pass as a broker or some other finance worker. But most importantly, learning the language goes a long way in helping you make it big in finance: despite you not having a degree, you’ll be well-versed with terminologies, ideas and concepts, which will make you better understand finance and will be a small but meaningful step towards getting a job in finance without a degree.
Attend Workshops, Crash-Courses on Finance:
There is a ton of activity happening in finance around the world. Use some of it to your advantage if you want to make it big in the industry. There are always workshops, institutes offering crash courses on finance, which you can attend and further understand the ins and outs of finance. These institutes also provide certifications and accreditations, which you can then use as a foundation to base your added knowledge of finance on in order to secure a job.
Join a Financial Boot Camp:
Just like a military boot camp, a financial boot camp aims to stamp in financial training into a newbie using crash courses and a host of other courses designed to make a person well-versed with the nuances of finance in a matter of days, sometimes weeks. While these do cost much, but they are worth every penny, since they instill you with the knowledge and the skillset requisite for a job in finance. While not much, they can still be a good inclusion in your portfolio altogether to guarantee a good job in finance. They can make you a semi-expert in a matter of days, so it is suggested that a prior basic knowledge of the field be taken beforehand. In short, a financial boot camp can act as a catalyst towards getting your job in finance without a degree.
Get Knowledgeable on Finance:
This resonates with the first point of getting adept at the industry language. Learning the nuances, the niches of finance by yourself will be very appreciated by the employer (especially if you’re coming from a different discipline altogether). Plus, it’ll give you a chance to get the related knowledge with a more hands-on experience, thus making it so that your potential employer will think you have a passion, flair and a drive for a career in finance despite not having a degree. This will further increase your chances of scoring that dream job.
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Use a Trading App / Simulator:
Apps and trading simulators like MetaTrader, AmeriTrade and IQ Option can also get you started on day trading, commodities trading or currency exchange and can give you a good idea of how currency exchange works, what are the longstanding rates and how to turn a profit from day trading. Getting adroit at these and making money for yourself will kickstart your career in finance, even if you’re an engineering or a medical graduate. In fact, there is a growing amount of rich kids and millionaires that claim to have made their fortunes from these apps despite not having a degree at all.
Take Industry Courses / Exams:
If finance really is your passion, you can easily nail these exams and courses and make yourself stand out even further than a graduate with just a degree. These exams are held at state level and some require sponsorship from a finance institute, but for those with no such requirement, you can undertake the course and pass the exam to become a state-certified financier; that accreditation alone will ensure that companies and houses do not turn you away if you want a job in finance.
Maintain an Interactive Financial Blog / Website:
Having a blog that you regularly update with your thoughts on finance (preferably an interactive one) will also go a long way in helping you get a job in finance without a degree.
