Financial analysts have always had their work cut out for them. Fund managers and financial planners are inundated with statistics and developing news that can make or break their portfolios, and often by extension those of their clients, as well. The intense pressure to succeed added to the rising questions surrounding the efficiency of actively managed funds makes for a world of instability for financial professionals.
Hesitancy to act is natural in this environment, but only exacerbates the problem. Financial professionals have often relied on personal knowledge of the market to attempt predictions about certain sectors or individual stocks. But this approach is becoming more and more antiquated as the blitz of market metrics have been introduced to traders. The trouble now is deciding which measures of success to heed and which to ignore, and in what circumstances.
With the unprecedented rise of stocks across the board in recent years, there has never been a better time than the present to hone your trading chops. It would behoove you to consider going back to school to bolster your real-world experience with an analytic and educational approach that graduate study provides. Combining practice and an education driven background of knowledge produces the most well prepared analysts the financial world has to offer – and it is far from impossible for you to become one of those insiders.
Many are speculative of higher education in lieu of simply entering the workforce, but they do not have the benefit of intensely focused study into the factors that make the market tick. Earning a specialized master’s degree gives you the opportunity to delve into the deep nuances that make something work, not just cursory study of its function. By advancing your financial education beyond the basic requirements, you open yourself up to a unique perspective of the market that simply cannot be understood by those who operate based on ‘feel’ for the market. This goes for returning students who are contemplating undertaking an MBA, as well. Financial analysts are frankly better served by focused study such as the Boston College Applied Economics program over generalist Business Administration courses of study. For one thing, specialized degrees are often shorter than MBA tracks, meaning you can dive back into your career faster. Alternatively, economics degrees can often be completed online in your spare time rather than the traditional classroom setting that is generally required for MBA students.
Traders and financial analysts that rely on their instincts over robust and practiced knowledge are destined to become members of that growing statistic that represents fund managers who are routinely bested by simple index funds. Simply put, going back to school may prove critical for your job security. Additionally, highly educated professionals are more likely to be put up for promotion and are paid on average a whopping 25% more across the board.
If you are looking to make a splash within the company or move up in the ranks, earning your master’s degree is the obvious answer. Not only will it give you a greater perspective of the ins and outs of the market, but studying makes you a more thoughtful professional overall. So you will not only possess a greater understanding of the market, but you will utilize that skill while critically thinking about the risks and rewards, making you an infinitely better analyst. The time has never been better – or easier – to earn your degree. Through the platform of online learning, tens of thousands of professionals are boosting their value to their clients and employers every year. Take the leap, and you will surely thank yourself for the investment for years to come.
