Working in financial risk management is a specialty area of accounting and finance, and after earning a degree in one or both of these areas, those who wish to enter this sector of the field should attempt to gain experience through internships and entry level jobs, especially at firms where there is room for upward mobility. Many financial firms offer basic internships and training programs to junior members of their staff, and will select trainees based on their potential to move up in the ranks.

Entering financial risk management through an apprenticeship or junior position within a larger firm is excellent training as it allows an individual to learn the ropes of the field through a more experienced colleague. This mentoring support can pave the way toward even greater benefits as your mentor/colleague helps you network with their acquaintances, giving you the opportunity to build your own groups of trusted professional contacts.

While courses and school can begin to instruct in the theories behind financial risk management, until an individual has gone out in the field and had to make determinations around how their client’s money will be invested, risked, added to, or subtracted from, it is difficult for them to understand the subtle, human side of this line of work.

Financial risk managers work in any industry where there is enough money to warrant large investments, which need some kind of predictive plan in order for investments to be soundly made. The field offers room for expansion, although perhaps not as much as in years past, and offers high rewards.