You will need to have knowledge of the commodity markets and how to analyze and interpret the numbers when you are a financial analyst. As part of your job you will analyze the various factors that can affect investments, such as the cost per share, the tax rates and the risk factors – all of which can lower the investment or reduce the chances of making money. You can specialize in either buying commodities or selling commodities because each one requires a different type of work. Analysts who specialize in buying search for new investments that will help grow the company’s portfolio. Analysts who specialize in selling look for potential buyers interested in buying commodities and shares.
Also, a financial analyst usually works in only one facet of the investment industry, whether it is utilities, or options. Within this field, it will be your job to assess the market trends and be knowledgeable about new regulations for the location that may affect the company’s earnings in this regard. You will make extensive use of spreadsheets in this type of work as you compare various types of investments, analyze the data and try to forecast where the investments will go in both the short and long term based on the business trends.
Certification or licensing is a requirement for working as a financial analyst in most states. You do need to check on the regulations for your state to see exactly what you need top obtain position once you graduate. In fact, you may need several different licenses, although if you are involved in buying commodities only, you will not need a license. It is mot an expectation that you hold a license in order to obtain a job because the criteria for obtaining one is to have sponsorship from an employer, which means you should have an offer of a job. If you are licensed and change jobs to work with a different company, then you will need to have your license renewed under the sponsorship of this new employer. You can also voluntarily obtain certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst from the CFA.
To fill any vacant positions, employers look for applicants with problem solving skills and good communication skills. You will be involved in making presentations to your clients about various investments and how they can either benefit the company or be detrimental to it. You can advance in your career by taking on more challenging projects or by supervising a team of analysts, or by advancing to the position of portfolio manager.
