Financial dealers and brokers, also sometimes known as investment advisors, conduct financial market transactions on behalf of clients and offer advice on financial matters.
Financial dealers and brokers obtain and use information on securities, market conditions, government regulations and the financial circumstances of clients. They deal in the marketplace on behalf of clients and provide financial advice. They record and transmit ‘buy’ and ‘sell’ orders and calculate and record the cost of transactions. They develop lists of appropriate investments for clients and carefully plan buying and selling activities.
Areas of specialisation include:
Commodities traders bring together buyers and sellers of commodities to negotiate private sales and arrange sales through established marketplaces. With experience and perhaps further training, financial dealers and brokers may progress to become merchant bankers.
Financial market dealers buy and sell securities within financial markets, and trade and distribute financial securities on behalf of financial institutions.
Financial planners provide financial advice to clients covering all areas of finance, including issues such as taxation, retirement, redundancy, super annuation, insurance and estate planning.
Merchant bankers offer financial products and services, handle large financial transactions and operate as intermediaries in the professional and commercial sectors of the finance industry. They are also involved in the money market, in corporate lending activities and in investment banking.
Stockbrokers buy and sell stocks and bonds on behalf of clients. People in this occupation have a legal obligation to provide sound advice, and consequently the job has considerable responsibility attached to it. Once experience has been gained, opportunities for advancement are generally very good.
Entry to this career is competitive. Firms usually recruit applicants who can demonstrate a strong academic background. It takes some time to gain the experience required for advancement, and many firms demand specialised qualifications or relevant experience.