Financial Jobs for Veterans: Exploring Your Career Options

If you’re considering breaking into the financial industry as a veteran, you’re not short on options. Some of the country’s top companies offer training and educational programs to fill financial jobs for veterans who qualify. This, along with their commitment to hiring vets to fill positions, makes these companies very much worth looking into.

Here’s what you need to know about financial jobs for veterans and your career options for a profitable next chapter of your life:

Education & Training

Most careers in finance will require a bachelor’s degree or higher. If you’re working on your degree, have your degree, or are curious to see if you like finance before you invest in college, these top-notch training programs can help you get experience in the industry.

Drexel Hamilton

Drexel Hamilton is an investment banking firm that is 100% owned and operated by veterans. They hire veterans and pair them with a Wall Street mentor. Vets go through a rotational program, giving each hire experience in multiple businesses. For those vets they don’t hire, they make contacts with other organizations that hire vets to assist with job placement.

Citi

Citi’s Military Officer Leadership Program provides mentoring and coaching. They also have classroom training aimed specifically at filling financial jobs for veterans. The internship is divided into three distinct phases over the course of 24 months. This gives vets a chance to gain valuable skills and knowledge to pursue a career in finance.

JP Morgan & Chase

Designed for undergrad students who are active military or veterans, JP Morgan & Chase offer in-bank experiences that explore various careers in finance. This company proactively hires vets (more than 10,000 since 2011).

Types of Financial Jobs for Veterans

What can you do with all the financial information and education you earned through the military, internships, and other educational programs? Check out a few of the most common career options that attract veterans to the civilian workforce:

Banking

One of the common go-to careers for veterans is the banking industry. Some of the country’s biggest banks are dedicated to bringing veterans into their workforce and consequently have been very proactive about creating financial jobs for veterans. For example, Wells Fargo has promised to hire at least 20,000 veterans by 2020.

Financial Advisor

Unlike some technical fields, a career as a financial advisor presents a career path that almost any veteran can follow. Financial advising doesn’t require a degree, per se, but can be helpful. Or, veterans can pursue certifications before handling someone else’s finances. With a growing field of robo advisors and remote work, this could present a job opportunity that vets can work from anywhere.

Financial Analyst

The outlook for financial analyst job growth looks healthy, with a predicted 11% growth over the next 10 years. This could provide a stable career for vets that obtain a bachelor’s degree in the financial or business field. Many of the skills learned in the military can transfer to this field, including attention to detail, speed, accuracy, research, and understanding how to best utilize limited resources.

Accountant

Accountants are responsible for preparing and reviewing financial records. They oversee finances and tax information for companies or prepare personal taxes for the general public. You’ll likely need a degree in accounting, but some companies may consider experience over education. However, you will need a degree if you plan to become a CPA, which can earn well over six figures per year.

Finding Career Fulfillment as a Veteran

Financial jobs for veterans may be completely different than the work you did in the military, and sometimes that’s a good thing. It can be a welcome change that lets you focus on building new skills while strengthening what you learned in service, and actually fulfill your career and financial goals.

Want more job insights? Head back to our blog to take your career to the next level.