What to do after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in finance programs? Essay

A Bachelor of Science degree in finance programs such as statistics, accounting, marketing, business law, or managerial finance is the minimum requirement to become a stock analyst. While an undergraduate degree is sufficient, a Master's degree is more appealing to an employer. For example, a firm may be drawn to someone who holds a Master of Business Administration degree because it shows he or she holds advanced knowledge of business theory and management ("Becoming a Financial"). For stock analysts with an accounting background, it is common to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). This provides reassurance that the analyst has an extended knowledge of financial accounting. The CFA Institute offers a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certificate to qualified professionals. To enroll in this certificate program, one must be a CFA Institute member and have completed a bachelor's degree program. Then, they must pass three examinations, which can take anywhere from two to five years to complete. Before being issued this certificate, the applicant must have earned at least four years of professional investment experience. Stock analysts are usually required by their employer to acquire the Series 6, 7, or 63 issued by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. It is estimated that analysts with a master's degree, MBA, CFA, or a CPA can expect to earn at least five to ten percent more annually ("Becoming a Financial").
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) categorizes stock market analysts as financial analysts. The Bureau's May 2011 Occupational Employment Statistics report on wages lists the annual average wage for analysts nationwide as $87,740. The median wage nationwide is $75,650. Also, according to the BLS, stock market analysts working for companies related to securities and commodity exchanges earned an annual average wage of $114,430. Those working for brokerage houses and companies providing investment advice or portfolio management services earned an annual average wage of $112,830. Meanwhile, analysts at investment banks and security dealers earned an annual average salary of $102,220, and those working for mutual funds and related companies earned an average of $109,440 annually ("The Salary of a Stock"). Stock market analysts are expected to remain in demand in the future. The BLS predicts the number of stock analyst positions will increase twenty-three percent from 2010 to 2020.There is a multitude of pros to interviewing for this job at Pax World Management. According to the posting, it seems that this job requires a lot of early responsibility at the beginning of the career. The job offers analysts an excellent foundation in equity and finance as well as hands-on experience and exposure to some very dynamic transactions that can help one builds his or her career. One will develop a broad set of skills from analytical to oral, written and interpersonal. The opportunity to work in a team environment and work together with the managers to access the company's well-being. In the end, this job gives one a solid basis to develop and continue a career in equity analysis possibly moving into Private Equity in the future.