Every finance graduate either wants to break into Investment banking or the private equity sector. But, making your way into these two lucrative and highly-demanding industries is not easy, especially for new graduates in finance. You need to cultivate essential skills to clear your first job interview into the mentioned job sectors. Here, we will talk about the best possible aid a banking aspirant can have to prepare for his prospective career in finance, and which is finance certifications that are industry-relevant.

Top 5 Finance Certifications for Banking Aspirants

CFA – Chartered Financial Analyst

It is among the most sought after credential in the banking domain. Conducted by the CFA institute, the shortlisting of candidates to appear for this prestigious examination is pretty strict. You need to showcase your proficiency in the finance domain to qualify to take the said examination. 49,380 individuals appeared for the CFA exam as per the report furnished by the exam organiser, the CFA Institute. It’s a highly valued financial credential in the investment banking industry across the globe. Having CFA on your resume increases its power and relevance by manifolds.

CPA – Certified Public Accountant Certification

A large percentage of finance professionals seek an accounting designation than having a finance credential to their name. CPA is considered gold standard in the world of accounting. Besides, the said credential serves perfectly well to finance aspirants. The curriculum for the CPA credentialing program comprises topics such as financial reporting and accounting, concepts of business environment, attestation, and auditing.

CIBP – Chartered Investment Banking Professional

If you are preparing to make a career in IPO equity capital markets, or in investment grade bond markets, or in M&A (mergers and acquisitions), you need to attain a variety of financial skills. CIBP help finance professionals upgrade their qualification, competence, and understanding in the banking domain. It’s an internationally-recognized finance credential for MBA/finance students who would like to showcase their industry and job-readiness before the recruiters at top banks.

Finance graduates from top business schools intend to qualify the CIBP credentialing examination to further their career growth in an array of sub-divisions of banking, such as M&A, financial analysis, trading, underwriting, and investment banking advisory. The CIBP professional credential is powered by the world-class IBANX™ framework that further increases its relevance in the banking sector.

FRM – Financial Risk Manager Certification

FRM is designed for professionals seeking careers in risk management which comprises job positions such as risk analysts and risk officers. Those who want to differentiate themselves within the investment banking domain, it’s an ideal professional credential for them to acquire. FRM is among the most targeted and niche certifications in the finance sector. Besides, it’s time-efficient and cost-effective at the same time.

FMVA – Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst Certification

For banking professionals who would like to make a career in corporate finance, a financial modelling credential from a reputed institute such as CFI (Corporate Finance Institute) would serve the best. Curriculum under the said certification program would comprise topics ranging from – how to develop and build a financial model, to sensitivity analysis, to advanced valuation tactics, everything to be executed in MSOffice Excel.

Vital financial skills you gain acquiring an FMVA credential include:

• Analysing company’s financial performance in Excel.
• Executing financial modelling in Excel.
• Learning business valuation methodologies.
• Generating graphs, charts, Excel dashboards, and PowerPoint presentations.
• Performing scenario analysis, sensitivity analysis, and M&A modelling.

Hope the article provided you with some valuable information on financial credentials and how they help finance professionals grow their respective careers. For investment banking aspirants seeking their first break, the article will prove to be highly informational and useful at the same time.

Wishing the readers, the very best for their future endeavours!