CAREER IN FINANCE: SKILLS & TRAITS THAT COUNT THE MOST
CAREER IN FINANCE: SKILLS & TRAITS THAT COUNT THE MOST
I became CA by chance, but then unplanned journeys have their own charm and excitement. I never chose to be a finance professional; instead it was thrust upon me by the family. But now when I look back, I have no regrets as a career in finance offered me the three requi-sites of any vocation – job satisfaction, respect and remuneration.
While an accounting degree is an obvious prerequisite before you’re hired, there’s more to a finance professional than just accounting. While the basic ingredients like communication skills, team management, the art to sell themselves etc. are common to most professions, there are certain skills/traits that separate a finance professional from others. For me, these are Integrity, Confidentiality, Foresightedness, Omniscience, and Analytical skills. Although these skills or traits might appear uncanny, they prove to be the real differentiator for any-one looking for a successful career in finance.
Integrity:
Integrity is not just a virtue; it is an essential skill in finance. The numbers may reveal more than what meets the eye, and they may hide more than what they seemingly reveal. There-fore, a finance manager should be honest to convey the right information.
Confidentiality:
Accountants are the most trusted advisers for any business. They must, therefore, imple-ment appropriate controls and checks to preserve that trust. Remember the fate of Goldman Sachs. When companies know that their data is handled with care and discretion, it has a di-rect impact on your career prospects.
Foresightedness:
The farsightedness that I am talking here is not just pertaining to the needs of your client but also with respect to your own career. Finance Professionals are expected to be far-sighted with an ability to predict the course of things. This is especially true if you’re working with a startup. Taking calculated risks is indispensable to reach for better and unlock massive growth opportunities for any business. Which brings me to the fourth skill needed for excel-ling in finance.
Omniscience:
One of my primary concern, when I was pushed into the world of finance, was the fear of leading a boring life limited by calculations and a never-ending heap of files. As a finance professional, you primarily deal with numbers, but the profile encompasses any and every sector. So, it’s advisable to brush up your knowledge base and keep yourself updated with different industries.
Analytical skills:
It’s always a good idea to talk through your thought processes when answering questions, whether in an interview or a business meeting with a client. Being able to collect the right data is one thing but making it useful requires a different skill. Your insights from the finan-cial data must be such that can be put into actionable use.
Author Bio: Anjani Kumar Sharma
Anjani Kumar Sharma comes with vast experience in finance, development, education and the power sector. He is an advisor to leading startups, foundations, NGOs, Govt. institutes, and universities. Anjani has authored various books and papers on subjects like taxation, CSR, laws related to FCRA and startups. He has been on the board of various corporates and charitable institutions including Tata Power, Delhi and Reliance Infrastructure compa-nies - BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani, Credibility Alliance etc. Anjani has been working in the development sector for over a decade now and is part of the NPO committees of institu-tions like ICAI and also on CSR committee of Tata Power Delhi.
He is a consultant, visiting faculty and speaker with premier educational institutions, interna-tional forums and corporates including ICAI, ICFO, NJUS Kolkata, CLP and SJVN. His client roster includes names like IIM A, Ashoka University, XLRI, Amnesty International, Samhita social venture, DHFL, ISKCON, IIM CIIE, Alliance IndiaWater.org, Change.org., A R Rahman Foundation, Dr Reddy Foundation, World Vision India, PaperBoat to name a few.
Anjani is a partner with Bhawani Sharma & Co. Chartered Accountants and SAGA Law LLP. He is a director in SAGA - Southern Accountability and Governance Alliance Pvt. Ltd, a prem-ier social sector consulting company founded by Dr. Manoj Fogla. He is also a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and an alumnus of Mayo College, Ajmer.
CAREER IN FINANCE: SKILLS & TRAITS THAT COUNT THE MOST
CAREER IN FINANCE: SKILLS & TRAITS THAT COUNT THE MOST
I became CA by chance, but then unplanned journeys have their own charm and excitement. I never chose to be a finance professional; instead it was thrust upon me by the family. But now when I look back, I have no regrets as a career in finance offered me the three requi-sites of any vocation – job satisfaction, respect and remuneration.
While an accounting degree is an obvious prerequisite before you’re hired, there’s more to a finance professional than just accounting. While the basic ingredients like communication skills, team management, the art to sell themselves etc. are common to most professions, there are certain skills/traits that separate a finance professional from others. For me, these are Integrity, Confidentiality, Foresightedness, Omniscience, and Analytical skills. Although these skills or traits might appear uncanny, they prove to be the real differentiator for any-one looking for a successful career in finance.
Integrity:
Integrity is not just a virtue; it is an essential skill in finance. The numbers may reveal more than what meets the eye, and they may hide more than what they seemingly reveal. There-fore, a finance manager should be honest to convey the right information.
Confidentiality:
Accountants are the most trusted advisers for any business. They must, therefore, imple-ment appropriate controls and checks to preserve that trust. Remember the fate of Goldman Sachs. When companies know that their data is handled with care and discretion, it has a di-rect impact on your career prospects.
Foresightedness:
The farsightedness that I am talking here is not just pertaining to the needs of your client but also with respect to your own career. Finance Professionals are expected to be far-sighted with an ability to predict the course of things. This is especially true if you’re working with a startup. Taking calculated risks is indispensable to reach for better and unlock massive growth opportunities for any business. Which brings me to the fourth skill needed for excel-ling in finance.
Omniscience:
One of my primary concern, when I was pushed into the world of finance, was the fear of leading a boring life limited by calculations and a never-ending heap of files. As a finance professional, you primarily deal with numbers, but the profile encompasses any and every sector. So, it’s advisable to brush up your knowledge base and keep yourself updated with different industries.
Analytical skills:
It’s always a good idea to talk through your thought processes when answering questions, whether in an interview or a business meeting with a client. Being able to collect the right data is one thing but making it useful requires a different skill. Your insights from the finan-cial data must be such that can be put into actionable use.
Author Bio: Anjani Kumar Sharma
Anjani Kumar Sharma comes with vast experience in finance, development, education and the power sector. He is an advisor to leading startups, foundations, NGOs, Govt. institutes, and universities. Anjani has authored various books and papers on subjects like taxation, CSR, laws related to FCRA and startups. He has been on the board of various corporates and charitable institutions including Tata Power, Delhi and Reliance Infrastructure compa-nies - BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani, Credibility Alliance etc. Anjani has been working in the development sector for over a decade now and is part of the NPO committees of institu-tions like ICAI and also on CSR committee of Tata Power Delhi.
He is a consultant, visiting faculty and speaker with premier educational institutions, interna-tional forums and corporates including ICAI, ICFO, NJUS Kolkata, CLP and SJVN. His client roster includes names like IIM A, Ashoka University, XLRI, Amnesty International, Samhita social venture, DHFL, ISKCON, IIM CIIE, Alliance IndiaWater.org, Change.org., A R Rahman Foundation, Dr Reddy Foundation, World Vision India, PaperBoat to name a few.
Anjani is a partner with Bhawani Sharma & Co. Chartered Accountants and SAGA Law LLP. He is a director in SAGA - Southern Accountability and Governance Alliance Pvt. Ltd, a prem-ier social sector consulting company founded by Dr. Manoj Fogla. He is also a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and an alumnus of Mayo College, Ajmer.
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