The question: How do I move to a financial sector
role?
I have been working as a programmer for five years and I would
like to spend a year in training to move into the financial
services sector as a business analyst. Could you recommend the type
of course I should take? I already have a good programming
background, including Visual Basic, but I do not have a financial
background. I also lack a graduate qualification.
The solution: Take contracts within the
industry
First of all, training for a new industry should not mean having
to take a whole year off from your career. It sounds as though you
are looking for a course that will provide you with fairly basic
background knowledge, rather than a course that will help you build
on the skills that you have already acquired.
Rather than trying to learn about a new industry from a
textbook, a real-life experience will be far more beneficial. By
taking on programming projects within the financial services
industry, you will be able to find out more about the inner
workings of the different financial services markets.
By doing this, you will be able to work within your comfort
zone. It should also provide you with a better salary than starting
in a graduate or entry-level position.
Your Visual Basic skills are easily upgradeable to Visual Basic
.net. There is a huge shortage of skilled people in .net
development in all industries, so by taking a short course to
attain this certification you will increase your potential.
Start with short-term contracts to test the water. Once you have
built up a strong insider knowledge you will be able to tell
whether the financial services industry is definitely for you, and
you will be able to see first-hand what further qualifications are
worth looking into.
Solution by Rob Chapman, chief executive, The Training
Camp
The panel: Plan-Net Services, Hudson, Reed Technology, Zarak
Technology, No Limits Coaching, The Training Camp
E-mail your career questions
to computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk