Last updated on November 29th, 2023 at 10:14 am
Understanding Commercial Banking
Commercial banks specialise in providing services such as accepting deposits, providing business loans and also offer basic investment products which don’t need much investment guidance. Commercial banking is often a division of a big bank and sometimes it is a stand-alone special unit. The main difference between commercial banks and retail banks is that it majorly deals with corporates, medium & large sized businesses in addition to the general individuals.
Both private sector and public sector banks are included in the commercial banking category. The commercial banking performs a wide range of functions including accepting deposits, providing loans and credit services, credit creation, agency functions, etc. While providing credit to customers the commercial banks do not advance cash rather they create a deposit account for the borrowing party to withdraw funds. It helps to better channel the limited funds available at a bank.
Commercial banking careers are considered one of the most sought-after career roles and invite a lot of competition. The most prominent roles and positions offered at commercial banks include account manager, loan officers, sales associates, trust officers, branch managers, etc. The remuneration for commercial banking careers varies greatly depending upon your position and experience. One can get an entry-level role by completing graduation in a relevant field such as commerce, economics, mathematics, etc. Managerial roles require post-graduate degrees such as an MBA.
Role of a Financial Analyst
One of the primary responsibilities of a financial analyst is to conduct a financial analysis of businesses to paint a comprehensive financial picture of the organization. Financial analysts use tons of relevant financial data including the historical and current records to assess outcomes for business decisions and find profitable investment avenues. It helps companies to assess the feasibility of a particular project by predicting the future revenue and expense from the operation.
Financial analysts are required to have good quantitative acumen and analytical skills. Financial analysts use relevant financial data to help companies make important financial decisions. Financial analyst job roles are considered as a prestigious one and it often has very well defined roles and responsibilities providing a good work-life balance. The requirements for the role of financial analysts vary depending on the organisation and the exact position that you are offered.
There are multiple job roles that you can opt for depending upon your interest including equity analyst, treasury analyst, investment banking analyst, etc. The best course of action to get entry-level jobs as a financial analyst is to complete your graduation in a relevant discipline such as commerce, statistics, economics, etc. If you are already working at a job and want to advance your career as financial analysts, you can opt for financial analyst course by reputed institutions like Imarticus Learning that also provides job assurance with the top-notch companies in the field.
Which One You Should Choose?
Now that we know what both the job roles entail, choosing between a commercial banking and financial analyst career will be easier. It is a very subjective matter and requires personal evaluation. The very first thing to keep in mind while choosing a particular career option is your interest. Do you like interacting with customers or do you like working behind the scenes churning numbers? If you prefer the former then you should opt for a commercial banking career and if you choose the latter then financial analyst is a good fit for you.
The second most important thing to keep in mind while choosing your career is the skills you have. Your hard and soft skills combination plays an important role in finding out the most suitable career option for you. In a commercial banking career, you need to have excellent communication and sales skills, you should have a problem-solving approach and you should be customer-oriented. For the role of a financial analyst you need to be good with numbers and have a knack to trends and patterns, you should possess good analytical and presentation skills too. You can use these guidelines as parameters to find the most suitable career option for yourself.
Also Read: Difference Between Business Analyst & Financial Analyst
