Jobs the Position of Financial Analyst Requires

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The position of Financial Analyst requires both specific training and many personal skills as well. For example, trust-building is one of the most important attributes of the job so there is a requirement for a very high level of interpersonal skills. Furthermore, substantial technical training is required. A bachelor's degree is almost always required, and often an advanced degree like an MBA comes in handy for marketing. In addition, there are various field-related qualifications that need to be obtained in order to be licensed as a financial advisor. These might vary from state to state, but securities licenses and insurance licenses are almost always a requirement for this position, in addition to the formal education (U.S. News, 2013).

In an interview setting, it should be fairly easy to check the credentials of the person being interviewed, by asking some technical questions or engaging in technical discussion. Doing this will reveal if they are familiar with the terminology and basic material associated with the financial planning licensing procedures. Their specific credentials can easily be verified by contacting their schools and the professional association that handles licensing.

The more difficult thing to ascertain in an interview is whether or not the candidate has the right personality traits and skills to succeed as a financial advisor. Interviews are critical to this part of the selection process. The length and style of the interview can and should be tailored to the organization and the requirements of the position (ACAS, 2013).

Morgeson, Reider and Campion (2005) note that finding the right fit is important, so the interview process is critical. For example, a financial advisor often interviews the clients. Thus, if the person being interviewed for the financial advisor position demonstrates a lack of confidence or salesmanship, then that person is not likely going to succeed as a financial advisor. It is imperative that somebody whose success on the job revolves around convincing people to send their money to him or her should be able to convince the human resources manager to similarly make an investment in his or her abilities. Thus, for a position like this, the interview process is a direct test of one of the job's most compelling skills. Indeed, the financial advisor talking to prospective clients is looking to be hired by them to manage their finances, so the skill is identical.

Further, other aspects of the interview should be taken into consideration. Listening skills can be tested -- a good financial advisor listens to the clients and therefore is in a position whereby the investments reflect the needs of the clients. So in the interview, there should be some point at which the interviewer is testing to see how well the candidate listens and processes what is being told to him or her. Another basic thing is presentation. While there are no universal rules about presentation for financial advisors, ones who work for a major company are also representatives of that company. How a person dresses and carries themselves is something that makes a big difference in the interview -- if their presence and polish impress the interviewer, their presence and polish will impress clients as well.