Finance careers p1 - Military Transition - Military Times EDGE

Maybe you find crunching numbers more satisfying than a good meal. Or prefer spreadsheets to sports news.

Those are both good signs you’re a candidate for a finance career.

Individuals, companies and governments rely on financial experts to deal with tax issues, internal audits and long-term investments.

“Job prospects remain bright for professionals with in-demand skills, such as financial analysts, internal auditors and staff and senior accountants,” said Andy Decker, Army veteran and regional vice president for Robert Half International, a financial staffing firm.

But hold on to your résumé, finance experts say. True, the industry is in good shape with plenty of jobs, but it’s among the few not rushing to scoop up veterans fresh from the military.

“In technical jobs, a mechanic is a mechanic and an electrician is an electrician,” said Bryan Zawikowski, vice president of Lucas Group’s military division, which recruits service members to work for civilian companies.

“The equipment may be different, but the skills are there,” Zawikowski said. “This is also true in leadership. A junior officer in the military may not have had supervisory experience in manufacturing, but a company can take a leader and train that individual in the manufacturing industry. In finance and accounting, there’s often not a direct translation of skills.”

But don’t file away your dream of accruing a considerable nest egg through financial savvy.

Here’s how you can do it.

Your prospects

You can qualify for some financial careers without a degree as long as you’ve got the right military background, said Marilyn Robideaux, Army Career and Alumni Program transition counselor at Fort Sill, Okla.

If you have a good handle on math and military experience related to finance, accounting, human resources or administration, your training is a good start. Senior noncommissioned officers assigned as unit financial counselors, for example, often have enough experience to go directly into careers in consumer credit counseling, without a degree, Robideaux said.

While you’re working on your education, you may also qualify for entry-level jobs in bookkeeping, payroll, customer service or administrative support, or to work as a branch manager — while you’re working on your education.

“If you have dreams of working in banking or corporate finance, start applying there and tailor your résumé specifically for financial hiring managers,” said Janice Lindbaugh, a Dallas-based career counselor. “Highlight the finance job you’ve held — your training and coursework related to the industry. Once you’re in the door, start looking for the jobs you want to do and find out what you need to get them.”

Companies like to hire from within, Lindbaugh said.

“Think of it as on-the-job-training while you get the additional courses or finish the degree you need. The networking you’ll do in the company will be a big benefit to landing the job you want.”

Once you’ve earned a bachelor’s degree, you will be in a better position to compete for jobs as a staff, tax or senior accountant, loan officer, bank manager, financial analyst, internal auditor or portfolio manager.

Places to start

More people work in commercial banking than any other financial services field, according to the Labor Department.

Banks are a great place to take your résumé because they hire at so many levels, starting with tellers, ATM clerks, assistant branch managers and customer service representatives.

Up the career ladder you’ll find loan officers, branch and operations managers, and specialized positions in leasing, credit assistance, international banking and more.

Government agencies also offer great financial career opportunities. The Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission and contracting divisions within the Defense Department regularly hire people with financial experience.

State agencies may be an even better bet, with the Labor Department predicting financial job growth at 11 percent over the next six years.

Sealing the deal

The top three qualities you need to succeed in finance: “Business savvy, communication abilities and technical expertise,” Decker said. Technical skills in financial systems and software applications are also a plus.

To land a starting job, make up for technical inexperience by emphasizing what hiring experts call “soft skills” - in this case, good communication skills.

The bottom line: Financial jobs in the military usually focus on disbursing money and monitoring budgets, while civilian finance jobs have more to do with spending and managing money.

One way to get your foot a little closer to the door: “Consider informational interview opportunities,” Decker said. Reach out to people who know about the career you want and ask for a meeting, he said.

(Originally published March 3, 2008)