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Finance Career – Finance Job

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Many people are drawn to money. Not just to have more of it (who doesn’t?), but to actually participate in the finance industry and make a career out of it.

Did you know that some of the most successful people in finance and investments never pursued finance in college? Did you know many never even went to college? There are people who have built successful careers in investments or the financial industry grew and learned on the job.

Like I said, there are many branches to this tree. Accountants, CPA’s, and analysts must go through significant educational requirements before finding finance jobs. While these careers are built on heavy education and commitment, there are other areas of finance that do not require stringent or specialized education before entering the job market.

Stockbroker and Financial Advisor jobs

Stockbrokers, Registered Representatives and financial advisors are basically salesmen in the finance industry. That is not to demean what they do, it’s actually true. Once you are a licensed stockbroker and working for a firm, you are a phone broker. Many of the top firms will require 2 or 4 year degrees before hiring you for a job, but a finance or investment related degree is usually not required. Many smaller firms do not require college at all. They are looking for brokers with talent, drive and the ability to communicate and persuade. If you can convince the firm that you can earn money, you can get in. There are successful stockbrokers and advisors who make $200,000 or more and many of them were car salesmen, insurance agents, collections salesmen, real estate agents etc. Training is ongoing and most should decide after 6 months or one year whether this is the finance career or job they want.

The downside to this career, is the compensation you earn. It is largely, if not exclusively – commission or fee based. It’s a sink or swim finance career. It is not for everyone, but the requirements are easier, so if you are good at it – you’re all set!

Mortgage Broker Career

When Wall Street began losing jobs in late 2000 and for several years after, many brokers and advisors began careers as mortgage processors or mortgage brokers. The mortgage finance industry was booming. With interest rates low and the economy slower, homeowners were looking to take advantage of the equity in their homes or looking to refinance. People who were in these jobs at mortgage companies made a lot of money. People had needs and the environment was ripe for big business.

The problem with mortgage finance jobs is that it is a very cyclical business and it relies on constant new business and referrals for the brokers to earn money. If I had my choice overall, getting a job in the mortgage broker business would be one of my last choices. Good times are real good. Bad times are real bad.

Insurance Jobs and Retirement Finance Careers

With the population of the country living longer and the trend of big companies providing attractive retirement plans on the decline, insurance agents, retirement and estate planners are doing well. Building a finance career and getting jobs in these areas can be very rewarding and the trends are on your side.

There are many areas of finance and investments. You may end up being a bond broker, a trader, a mutual fund broker or something else. The quickest way into a good investment or finance job or career is to get a job as a financial advisor or broker. You have to put in the time and effort, but the openings are there and the experience you gain working with client investments will serve you very well going forward. Either you make a great career doing just that, or you platform that job into another area that better suits you.

Banking Finance Interview Questions – How to Prepare For the Big Interview

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Preparation if vital when preparing for any job interview, banking is no exception. Much of this depends on exactly what position you’re applying for. In broad terms a position in banking finance may range from:

o Banking finance auditor
o Banking finance investment executive
o Banking finance controller

It’s always a good idea to practice answering specific questions before the day of the interview. By doing your prep work before hand, you’ll come across as a confident individual which may give you the edge you need to land that big job.

Let’s take a look at specific questions that you should be ready to answer for each job.

Banking finance auditor

1) What is your level of experience?
2) What was your degree of responsibility in your last position?
3) What were the results of your auditing reporting?
4) What are some of your successful achievements?
5) What types of submissions of audits for federal or state authorities were you responsible for?

Banking finance investment executive

1) What is your experience with inter-relating investment and financial institutions?
2) What specific types of investment experience have you acquired in your previous positions?
3) What is the relationship of investment experience to this position?

In most cases, though a resume will contain this information, the banking finance investment executive will be expected to expand in detail on the management of investment funds and portfolios within the range of experience.

Banking finance controller

1) What are your finance management skills and experience?
2) What is your track record of implementing sound financial policies that helped to increase profitability and revenues in your previous positions?
3) What were your duties, responsibilities and corporate interface with executive management, cost accounting management and internal accounting management?

Digital Photography Tips and Techniques

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Unlike old film cameras, with today’s digital cameras, there are many options and features that even new photographers will find easy to use. You can change the lighting, zoom in, change the background, take still shots, and so much more, The choices are endless! Excited? You should be as you are about to learn some very useful digital photography techniques for better photos.Are you a fan of taking pictures in black and white? Do you like that old fashion look? Good news! Having a digital camera will make this easy for you as there are three options. The first thing you can do is see if you can directly take the picture in monochrome. This setting allows you to view what you are about to take a picture of in black and white on your camera’s screen. Right away, you’ll know how the picture will turn out as you’ll be seeing it right there just the same as you would see one of today’s contemporary pictures through the camera lens. Second, you could convert colored pictures into black and white by going to the gallery menu and selecting the black and white option. You also have the third option of printing them out in black and white which will enable you to have both copies–a colored copy and one that is black and white. You can do this by using the gray scale setting in the printing menu. Using these three options, you can enjoy that black and white look!Taking pictures close up is another useful technique for capturing special moments, and it also makes it easy to block out distracting backgrounds. One way a close up shot can be taken effectively is by using macro mode. When using this mode, you can take sharp pictures being just inches away from your subject. Another thing that can be done is use the camera’s zooming function. When doing this, you’ll actually have to stand further away: however, you can still get an up close shot that is intricately detailed. Switch to portrait shooting mode of shots are further away.Now, say you’d like to preserve objects that are moving. Using a digital camera makes this possible as this can be done by using the video feature. Many digital camera have a video feature that can record up to 30 minutes of video. Say for example you are at your child’s sporting event, and you want to capture the highlight of the game. A digital camera with a video feature will allow you to take both still photos as well as getting action video. And because today’s digital cameras are small, they easily slip into a pocket or purse and are easy to take along to a variety of family functions, vacations or events.If you don’t already have a digital camera, you should consider getting one. Prices have some down and a good quality camera is not affordable for almost any budget. Using just these three techniques will explained above can enrich your picture taking experience. Never again will you have to miss capturing a moment that you want to remember!

Relocating to Seattle? Where to Find a Job in Seattle

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Seattle, also known as “The Emerald City” is the most populous city in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington with nearly 600 thousand residents at the time of writing in 2009. It is a coastal city and a seaport. Seattle is a major contributor to Washington’s economy and is the cultural and educational center of the region. This is one of the main reasons why people are relocating to Seattle.Many Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters in Seattle. With the increase in the number of companies in and around Seattle, this area is considered to be one of the top 10 cities to live in according to a study done by Relocation dot com. Microsoft is situated in Redmond near Seattle, besides which there are an additional 2,000 software and digital media companies providing employment to more than 3.5 million people. If you want to find a job in IT, computers or in Internet related fields Seattle might be a great place to consider relocating to.Living in SeattleCost of Living in SeattleThe cost of living in Seattle is above average. The current median price of a home is currently about $315,000 as of Q1 2009 according to the National Association of Realtors, well above the US median home price of $169,000. However the high wages offered – particularly in information related fields – somewhat offset the higher cost of living there.Education in SeattleSeattle houses one of the most respected public research universities in the US – the University of Washington. The city is also home to many art and degree colleges, making it a very sought after place for many young adults, who don’t mind relocating to Seattle for schooling. Seattle has the highest percentage of college and university graduates in comparison to any other major city in the United States, with nearly half its adult population having at least a bachelor’s degree according to the US Census Bureau.Healthcare in SeattleSeattle is said to be”The Best Place in the World to Have a Heart Attack” all thanks to its leading medical research centers and paramedic services. Seattle also houses some of the best pediatric research and medical centers, providing jobs to many doctors and specialists – making it a great place to consider relocating to if you are trying to find a job in healthcare.Recreation in SeattleSports enthusiasts will love Seattle with it’s variety of sports teams and arenas. Professional teams in Seattle include the Seahawks for football, the Sonics for basketball, the Mariners for baseball and the Thunderbirds for hockey, representing all major sports. A few of the major sports venues in Seattle include Safeco Field and Key Arena.Seattle is also home to a thriving music and art scene which will delight the more artistically oriented. It is known as the home of grunge music with several well-known bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice and Chains and more originating in the city. The city has been the regional center for performing arts and holds among the others, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Many festivals and courses are organized for people who are discovering their artistic talents and for those who are relocating to Seattle to make use of this forum.Where to Find a Job in SeattleFind a Job in Seattle Using Job Search SitesSeattle has immense job opportunities – particularly those who are interested in software, digital media and other information related fields. If you are planning to relocate to Seattle and are trying to find a job then the most convenient way will be to use local job sites on the Internet. Signing up with these sites to receive email notifications when jobs matching your search criteria are posted will help you stay abreast of new job opportunities as they become available and will likely help you find a job much faster. Use the list of local Seattle job resources below to get started.• OnlineLocalJobs.com: Local Seattle Jobs Online [http://www.onlinelocaljobs.com/seattle.html]Find a Job at a Fortune 500 Company in SeattleAs mentioned before, Seattle is home to many large global corporations, which supply a multitude of promising job opportunities. Just to give you an idea, Boeing employs 64,000 people, Microsoft employs 11,000 and the list goes on. Visit the sites below to find jobs that are currently available at some of the most popular companies in Seattle.• Amazon: Amazon.com/Careers
• Boeing: Boeing.com/Employment
• Microsoft: Careers.Microsoft.com
• Nordstrom: Careers.Nordstrom.com
• Starbucks: Starbucks.comSeattle – with its dynamic urban culture, pro sports teams for every season, distinctive neighborhoods, great restaurants, superb coffee, a family-friendly atmosphere, and a happening entertainment scene – is definitely a great candidate for those considering relocating. Good luck in your Seattle job search!