Financial services refer to the making, investing and exchanging money for individuals, companies and organizations. Banks, brokers, mortgage lenders and credit card companies are all part of this broad industry. But the financial sector also includes many other players, such as insurance companies and investment firms. The financial sector impacts small businesses, large corporations and nonprofits in a big way. And it can be quite lucrative.
There are several benefits of a career in the financial services sector. These include a flexible work schedule and a great deal of freedom in the type of job you do. You can also earn a decent salary, and many positions require little education. However, a degree may help you move up the career ladder faster.
The financial services industry has become incredibly interconnected in recent years. Before this, banks and loan associations more or less stuck to their specialty. Today, banks offer a wide range of products such as checking and savings accounts as well as mortgages and auto loans. Brokerage companies now offer consumers investments in stocks, bonds and mutual funds. And credit card companies, like Visa and MasterCard, provide their services to people globally.
In addition to offering financial products, the financial services industry is also responsible for regulating those products and maintaining transparency in the markets. These tasks are performed by independent regulatory agencies, which are designed to oversee different financial institutions’ operations and ensure that they treat their clients fairly.