Securities, Commodities, & Financial Services Sales Agents
Broker, Equity Trader, Financial Advisor, Financial Consultant
What they do:
Buy and sell securities or commodities in investment and trading firms, or provide financial services to businesses and individuals. May advise customers about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, and market conditions.
On the job, you would:
- Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities.
- Monitor markets or positions.
- Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients.
Knowledge
Business
- customer service
- accounting and economics
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Math and Science
- arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Engineering and Technology
- computers and electronics
Skills
Basic Skills
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
- thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
- thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
- figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Abilities
Verbal
- listen and understand what people say
- communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
- use rules to solve problems
- notice when problems happen
Math
- choose the right type of math to solve a problem
- add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
- Attention to Detail
- Initiative
- Persistence
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- SAP software
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Financial analysis software
- Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
- Web-based trading systems
Education
Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
high school diploma/GED
usually needed
high school diploma/GED
usually needed
Job Outlook
Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Explore More
- Brokerage Clerks
- Financial & Investment Analysts
- Financial Risk Specialists
- Investment Fund Managers
- Personal Financial Advisors
You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents.