Finance

Three Very Important Traits:

• Highly Detailed,

• Skilled at Math,

• Ability to Work Independently

If these sound like you, learn about a career in finance.

Being good at numbers is a big necessity for someone thinking to pursue a career in finance. It is often an independent job, but you have to be able to work with others to sort out monetary details such as budgeting. Finance is a very important part of any business or organization.

The average work week for an accountant or individual in finance is 40-50 hours. Depending on the type of position held in finance, during busier seasons and at higher levels of responsibility, the hours may go to 80+ hours a week. There are a few general steps to pursuing a career in finance.

Step 1: Obtain Undergraduate degree

Step 2: Take accreditation course or complete graduate school

Step 3: Pass relevant certification exam(s)

Step 4: Obtain State Credentials (Examples include CPA, CFP, CFA)

While in a small number of cases, an undergraduate degree can be in an unrelated field, the majority of Finance professionals obtain an undergraduate degree in finance or accounting.

Jamie Bachman is the Chief Administrative Officer for the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. He has worked as a healthcare administrator for over 20 years and has worked at Johns Hopkins in the Cancer Center for almost 4 years. Learn about his career in Finance:

Elisa Hallberg has worked in the finance field for almost 30 years and is currently a corporate controller. She has experience working in the military and with government contractors. Learn about her experience in finance: