Changing Careers from Engineering to Finance

How to change careers from an engineer to a finance role. Many professionals change jobs as a consequence of professional and personal changes in their life. Transitioning to a new field can be difficult, but knowing how to showcase your present abilities and obtaining the necessary training will help you get started. Moving from engineering to finance might provide you the chance to deal with clients directly, utilize your analytical talents in new ways, and learn new professional skills.

Why should you switch from engineering to finance?

There are a number of reasons why you might want to go from engineering to finance:

Experiencing burnout

You can have worked in a hard technical position for several years and now feel burned out and ready for a change.

Changing interests

Your interests can have shifted since you chose your college major, and you are no longer engaged in your current position.

When relocating

You can be relocating to an area where engineering employment are scarce.

Career growth potential

You've hit the limit of your engineering career's upward mobility.

Earning potential

Finance offers you the opportunity to make more money than your present engineering career.

Client work

You would want to work in a client-facing position.

How to transfer from engineering to finance

Here are some steps to help you make the move from engineering to finance:

Change positions in the company

Look for prospective opportunities in the financial department if you work for a major corporation. Supervisors who are already familiar with you and your work ethic can be more inclined to hire you despite your lack of experience.

Find financial institutions who need engineers

You can start your career in finance by working as an engineer for a financial company. This can help you learn more about the business and the environment while also allowing you to network with financial colleagues.

Look for data-driven/metric-driven roles

In quantitative research and analyst positions, you can put your quantitative abilities and analytical thinking to good use. In a variety of fields, such as trading and hedge funds, these jobs demand you to evaluate data, anticipate behavior, and assess risk. While working for a financial institution, you can concentrate your analysis and reporting on the IT business.

Head back to school

Some financial jobs can need a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a closely related subject. If you're working, consider taking online classes or enrolling in part-time programs.

Get experience

Any financial banking experience will help you gain more interview possibilities. Consider doing volunteer work or an internship with a financial institution.

Network

To enhance your chances of obtaining an open employment in the financial business, reach out to as many individuals as possible. Here are some ideas for networking:

• Attend trade shows.
• Contact alumni working in finance through your college's career center.
• Join groups on social media.

Tell a story

When making a big job shift, it's critical to be able to convey your narrative succinctly and effectively. To better understand your personality and drive, recruiters, hiring managers, and colleagues want to know why you're changing careers. Spend some time putting together and practicing a succinct version of your professional story. Consider include the following aspects in your design:

• Begin by stating your hometown and where you attended school. Share this if you have an interest in finance earlier in life.
• Discuss what incident, such as a major experience with a financial adviser, inspired you to seek a profession in finance.
• To demonstrate your effort and engagement, share how you learnt more about the sector.
• Finish with what you aim to achieve in your profession, such as integrating an engineer's technical talents with interpersonal skills to build individualized financial strategies for customers going through life transitions.

Update your resume

Your resume/CV should be updated to reflect your new financial knowledge and experience. Focus on how your past engineering expertise benefitted your organization in measurable ways, such as increased productivity by 10% or saved $2,200 each quarter, when describing your previous engineering experience. Emphasize your job experience with well-known companys and a good GPA.

Start your career over

Consider applying for lower-level jobs that don't need a lot of expertise. Before applying for promotions, you can show your passion and involvement.

Interview

Focus on your transferrable talents when attending finance job interviews. To illustrate your interpersonal abilities, you can talk about clubs and activities you're part in. To demonstrate your dedication to learning, discuss the measures you've made to change jobs.

Finance jobs for engineers

Engineers moving to a career in finance can be interested in the following positions:

Accountant

Accountant's average annual income in the United States is $54,197.

Accountants' primary responsibilities include managing both personal and corporate finances. They keep track of documents, submit taxes, and verify that regulations are followed. Accountants can also assist companys with financial planning and decision-making.

Financial analyst

The average annual wage in the United States is $70,689 per year.

Financial analysts' primary responsibilities include assisting people and companies in making investment decisions. They assess the performance of equities and bonds and generate reports for clients. Financial analysts collect data, make projections, give presentations, and offer investment recommendations.

Investment banker

The national average income for an investment banker is $84,119 per year.

Investment bankers' main responsibilities: Investment bankers are finance professionals that specialize in raising capital and negotiating financial arrangements. They aid major corporations in mergers and acquisitions, give financial advise to businesses, and assist businesses in raising funds to expand. They have a bachelor's degree at the very least, and many have a master's degree.

Trader

Average annual income in the United States: $86,670

Within an investment fund management business, traders purchase and sell stocks, bonds, and other securities for a portfolio. They do market research, analyze market trends, and create forecasts for their company and its customers. Depending on the nature of their activities, traders must have specified licenses granted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Quantitate analyst

The average annual wage in the United States is $127,632.

Quantitative analysts operate in the financial business, researching data and trends, producing reports, and advising clients on investment decisions. For investment banks, hedge funds, and insurance companies, they employ analytical techniques to evaluate risk and build algorithms. Quantitative analysts design and execute pricing and trading models for financial goods.

Private equity associate

Private equity associates' average annual compensation is $141,375.

A private equity associate's main responsibilities include assisting companies in obtaining money, negotiating financial transactions, seeking out investors, and overseeing financial investments. They usually work in investment banks and have two to three years of investment banking analyst experience.

Tips for moving to finance

Here are some pointers to make your move from engineering to finance go more smoothly:

• Be willing to learn new things. Even if you have years of technical experience, your financial career is only getting started. Take advantage of opportunities to inquire, investigate, and watch others.
• Be truthful. Tell the truth about your abilities and experience. Speak out if you require assistance. This demonstrates humility and honesty.
• Expect to work long hours. When you're starting a new job, you're probably working longer hours because you're still getting to know your new role and business. It can take you longer to locate items, accomplish jobs, and comprehend new concepts.

Common questions

Common questions from job seekers:

What education do I need to work in finance?

Financial occupations have different educational requirements depending on the job title and responsibilities, although many finance jobs require a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a similar subject. MBAs are obtained by a large number of professions. Many financial professions need FINRA license in addition to a post-secondary education. The following are examples of common licenses:

• Series 6 - Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative Exam
• Series 7 - General Securities Representative Exam
• Series 79 - Investment Banking Representative Exam
• Series 86/87 - Research Analyst Exam
• Series 86/87 - Investment Banking Representative Exam
• Series 79 - Investment Banking Representative Exam

What's the working environment like in finance careers?

In an office setting, financial professionals usually work full-time hours or more. They are capable of working in the following environments:

• Investment banks
• companys that provide brokerage services
• Companies that provide financial advice
• Companies that make investments
• Companies that provide insurance
• Agents of real estate
• Corporations in the private sector
• Governmental organizations