Finance Certifications and Certificates

If you're looking for a way to demonstrate your skills in finance, you might feel overwhelmed by the different certifications and certificate programs available. You might have a lot of questions, such as:

• Will getting certified help me get a job?
• Do I need to be certified in finance?
• Should I get a certification or a certificate? What is the difference between the two?

This article aims to answer these questions so you can efficiently choose the right path toward a finance certification. Keep reading to find out more.

What is Finance?

In its most basic definition, finance is the management of money. Finance includes investing, lending, budgeting, borrowing, saving, forecasting, and studying money. There are multiple areas of finance, including personal, corporate, and public finance. 

Personal finance deals with keeping your debt down, budgeting, growing your assets, and increasing cash flow, among others. The three main types of corporate finance are capital budgeting, capital structure, and dividend policy. Among the significant concerns of public finance are the budgeting process and an entity’s revenue source. 

Read more about what finance is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Finance?

At its root, finance deals with managing money. This includes investing, saving, budgeting, forecasting, borrowing, and lending. Here are three solid career paths to follow with a firm understanding of finance.

• Accountant - This lucrative field is ideal for anyone with a love of numbers, though it is not necessary to be successful. Within a company, an accountant often creates, interprets, and analyzes a wide range of financial statements. Company accountants and management come together as partners to create budgets. Finally, accountants handle the tax matters of a company, including filing returns and planning out tax liabilities.

• Business Development Officer - Companies hire Business Development Officers to develop and execute strategies that lead to increased sales and higher profits. These officers also seek out business opportunities and secure the best business deals. They are responsible for negotiating deals and meeting with potential investors.

• Financial Data Analyst - These professionals analyze data to assist financial institutions in making better business decisions. Among their numerous responsibilities is compiling information from different divisions of a company. These analysts also look for ways to improve the company's current methods of data collection.

Certifications vs. Certificates: What’s the Difference?

It is common to use the terms certification and certificate interchangeably in professional settings, but they are distinct and require a different process to obtain. To qualify for certification, an individual must obtain training and experience and then take an examination. Those who wish to demonstrate mastery of a particular skill can obtain certifications, which can be required to secure certain positions. 

A certificate is earned upon completing a program recognized by the industry. Beginners can earn certificates in many of these programs. Certificates are optional for employment, but they can be helpful when applying. However, any certificate can be a great addition to your resume. Having a certificate can also help you prepare for certification exams. 

Top Certifications & Certificates for Finance

When entering the financial sector, one can choose various careers. When choosing what career path to go down, you may consider the different certifications you can get in those paths. Here are some of the top certifications in finance.

• Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
• Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC)
• Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA)
• Chartered Economic Analyst (CEA)
• Energy Risk Professional (ERP)
• Financial Risk Manager (FRM)

You can check out the Financial Management Association for more information on these certifications. 

Noble Desktop offers several certificate programs for finance if you do not want to get a certification but still want to improve your resume. Depending on which area of finance you wish to enter, you may consider the FinTech Bootcamp or the Financial Analyst Training Program. Each of these courses provides students with a certificate upon completion.