How Do I Become a Business Financial Advisor?

A business financial advisor is a professional who analyzes a business's financial status in order to help managers develop strategies for sustainability and growth. These professionals can work for firms that serve clients from a number of different industries. Others are in-house financial advisors who meet regularly with managerial accountants and executives to perform financial planning. To become a business financial advisor, it might be necessary to begin with a formal education in finance or economics and to gain valuable entry level work experience.

Qualifications required to become a business financial advisor can vary depending on needs of an employer. In most cases, employers expect job candidates to have undergraduate degrees in a financial discipline. Many applicants find that graduate programs help them to stand out from the competition in tight job markets. Graduate programs in finance and economics can also be great opportunities to network with colleagues and potential employers, leads, and references.

Many academic programs offer internships that can be helpful for a person who would like to become a business financial advisor. Internships allow students to learn about a profession in a real world context. Students have a chance to apply classroom knowledge to actual financial practices.

An internship can also look good on a resume. This is a document that you should compose and update regularly. A successful resume lists all of a professional's educational and professional experience relevant to a job for which he or she is applying. Entry level job experience, such as an internship, combined with academic preparation can help you to appear as a well rounded job candidate to future employers.

To become a business financial advisor, it is a good idea to work for a firm or business, even if you prefer to have an independent practice. All independent advisors have proven themselves by earning years of experience. This experience is a primary factor that clients look for when they choose financial advisors.

Your first step for getting employed as a business financial advisor should be to distribute your resume, along with a cover letter. A cover letter serves as an employer's introduction to your skills and assets and should also state how you heard about a position and why you are the best candidate. In most cases, you should have reference letters from past employers, professors, and colleagues that you can present to employers. If an employer feels that your resume and reference letters are promising, he or she might invite you in for an interview. Remember to research the values and specializations of an organization prior to an interview.