There are some pointers you can follow to increase your possibilities of being hired for a finance position.

If you're aiming to break into finance as a recent graduate, there are some basic financial skills that you need to develop to be able to do the job successfully. If you decide to go for a position that needs sophisticated numeracy competence, there are some core technical skills that you need to have. For instance, having a deep understanding of accountancy and being competent at utilising advanced accounting tools and software application is non-negotiable. This is vital for common jobs like budgeting and financial analysis. Financial reporting is also among the more valuable financial skills to learn as you will be required to assemble detailed and specialised reports like financial statements and projections. Data management and modelling is also a crucial skill that finance professionals normally need no matter what specific niche they specialise in. This is simply due to the fact that the industry is data-centric, and companies like St James Place are likely to validate this.

Whether you're a project manager or the CFO of a hedge fund, there are soft financial skills that you must concentrate on if you wish to succeed in your job. Technical and industry-specific skills are important however these can be made worthless if they're not supplemented with efficient soft skills. In this context, among the most important abilities to develop is problem resolving. This applies to conflict resolution within the organisation and likewise the ability to come up with innovative solutions externally to assist in deal-making. Having the capacity to break out of bottlenecks and advancing resolutions that please all parties is necessary to keeping solid working relationships and creating new business. Being a collaborative individual, particularly if you remain in a leadership position, will boost your team's capability for innovation. Motivating new ideas will develop the space for your reports to innovate, and firms like Axa are likely to concur.

Entering a new market is always difficult but the task can be made more difficult when you target extremely competitive industries. Corporate finance, for instance, is a field that only brings in the best and brightest, indicating that you have to show that you have more value to the firms you make an application for to be considered. In order for you to stick out from the masses, there are some finance skills employers look for and establishing these will greatly increase your possibilities of finding your dream job. Flexibility is one of the most desired skills in finance, specifically for people who target entry-level roles. This is because it reveals to employers that you can add value to different sides of the business, which will make you a more attractive prospect. Firms like Man Group would likewise agree that having great people skills is necessary as it demonstrates that you can quickly fit into any team.