I recently asked for advice on here for my resume and received a lot of great feedback. Now I'm wondering what kind of entry level finance positions I should be looking for. Like I stated before, I'm a recently separated lieutenant from the ordnance core in the Army and am trying to transition to the civilian sector. I have a bachelors in business administration and am very interested in finance. All I'm trying to do is land a entry level position somewhere in finance where I can have a opportunity to grow and have a career, but need to start out at least at $40,000. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Everyone here has been extremely helpful and I really do appreciate it.
Thank you!
Shane T. Monroe
Answers
I'm a bit late getting back on here after transitioning from Protege to Advisor so I apologize of this answer is a bit tardy. I found a great fit running my own financial advisor business with the backing of a Fortune 100 firm. I started at well above the $40K mark and the upside potential is certainly there. I'm with Kit on narrowing down your goal a bit. Do you want to work in a client-facing role, as in a Financial Advisor position...or something else?
I would agree with others who have suggested you narrow your focus, as finance is such a broad field. One way to do this is through "informational interviews". These are conversations that you initiate with people working in fields you think you might be interested in. You can ask how they got started, what they like and don't like about their jobs/careers, etc. These meetings are not to try to get a job but to learn what jobs you might want to pursue. Though if you like something, you can of course ask how best to go about finding one.
Your LinkedIn network (you need to build yours) is one source. AdvisorNet is another. There should also be professional organizations in your local area that you can work through.
Best of luck to you.
Shane,
Thank you for your service.
I suggest that you try a contract/temp agency like Dunhill to get your foot in the door to see what type of finance position you want as a specialty.
Hi Shane
You have received great advice above. I concur with the comment from Kit. Like an MOS depending on the size of a company people tend to want to know what specific area of finance. (cost accounting, revenue side, AR or AP, etc) Smaller companies not so much, but they may want to know how much book keeping experience you have.
Depending on whether you want to stay in Genoa start networking in the area you want to live. Prairie Du Chien, La Crosse, Dodgeville, etc. . Once you have the area you want to land use Reference USA to find companies within the area that you may want to target.
I also agree that you want to hook up with the Unemployment office but as important the county Veterans service officer. Please dont hesitate to connect with me on Linked In if you like. I'll help where I can. mnolmsted@msn.com
Your question is extremely broad. Could you define your area of interest in more detail? Finance has wide-ranging opportunities. Do you have geographically constraints? If you have time give me a call 312-344-0999.
I recommend that you register with your state employment department and search from there. The job listings can be filtered to match your needs and qualifications. And they will have a solid veteran support system and resources. Plus the job listings will be "real" meaning they are actually available. I worked with the Missouri Department of Employment and was amazed daily by job seekers that overlooked this resource. A resource your tax dollars support. And the only real problem you might have is that "You are overqualified" HR brush off. And the correct answer is "That would be to your advantage." And honestly, Shane, you have your sights set way too low. I don't know of a finance manager that would set the alarm clock to get up in the morning for $40k. You are worth a lot more than that to an employer that needs a qualified, meticulous, and trustworthy candidate. The Wisconsin Employment Department will have salary charts for all occupations. Good Luck!
Hi Shane, Finance is a very exciting, challenging and rewarding industry. Insurance, banking, and brokerage are the main areas. Insurance offers a lot of entrepreneurial opportunities in Agency work. Underwriting is a good channel. You may have to pass some licensing exams, but they are not difficult. Finance is a discipline that must be followed. The consulting firms may be an entry channel worth exploring.
Good luck!
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