Table 1Transition record

dividend analysttomergers and acquisitions analyst

A dividend analyst already meets 51% of what the mergers and acquisitions analyst role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From dividend analyst

51%

Overlap1

To mergers and acquisitions analyst

16 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

49.7 Difficulty2

Career overlap Partial match

51%

Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

49.7/ 100

Easy adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change Hard

1 Share of the mergers and acquisitions analyst role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the dividend analyst profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A mergers and acquisitions analyst role treats 9 of its required skills as things a dividend analyst already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

actuarial science
analyse business plans
analyse financial performance of a company
analyse financial risk
analyse market financial trends
make strategic business decisions

What stands in the way is 7 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 16 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A mergers and acquisitions analyst role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a dividend analyst background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held business valuation techniques business, administration and law
already held conduct financial audits information skills
already held modern portfolio theory business, administration and law
already held provide support in financial calculation information skills
already held make strategic business decisions management skills
already held review investment portfolios communication, collaboration and creativity

All 16 carried skills, including the 9 the mergers and acquisitions analyst role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 19 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 business, administration and law 2 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held investment banking required
required, not held mergers and acquisitions required

optional, not held holding company activities optional
optional, not held accounting optional
optional, not held business loans optional
optional, not held securities optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held apply technical communication skills required
required, not held manage contracts required

optional, not held handle mergers and acquisitions optional
optional, not held handle financial disputes optional
optional, not held provide legal advice on investments optional

03 management skills 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held budget for financial needs required
required, not held develop investment portfolio required

optional, not held control financial resources optional

04 information skills 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held assess financial viability required

optional, not held analyse economic trends optional
optional, not held assess risks of clients' assets optional
optional, not held examine credit ratings optional

05 assisting and caring 1 supplementary

optional, not held apply credit risk policy optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a mergers and acquisitions analyst role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 16 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held actuarial science knowledge
already held analyse business plans skill
already held analyse financial performance of a company skill
already held analyse financial risk skill
already held analyse market financial trends skill
already held make strategic business decisions skill
already held modern portfolio theory knowledge
already held provide support in financial calculation skill
already held review investment portfolios skill
already held business valuation techniques knowledge
already held conduct financial audits skill
already held create a financial plan skill
already held financial statements knowledge
already held interpret financial statements skill
already held maintain financial records skill
already held manage financial risk skill

12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held handle mergers and acquisitions optional
optional, not held holding company activities optional
optional, not held accounting optional
optional, not held analyse economic trends optional
optional, not held apply credit risk policy optional
optional, not held assess risks of clients' assets optional
optional, not held business loans optional
optional, not held control financial resources optional
optional, not held examine credit ratings optional
optional, not held handle financial disputes optional
optional, not held provide legal advice on investments optional
optional, not held securities optional

13 held skills the mergers and acquisitions analyst role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role calculate dividends skill
not needed by the target role financial forecasting knowledge
not needed by the target role financial markets knowledge
not needed by the target role forecast dividend trends skill
not needed by the target role handle financial transactions skill
not needed by the target role liaise with shareholders skill
not needed by the target role maintain register of shareholders skill
not needed by the target role monitor stock market skill
not needed by the target role obtain financial information skill
not needed by the target role perform stock valuation skill
not needed by the target role stock market knowledge
not needed by the target role synthesise financial information skill
not needed by the target role trace financial transactions skill

6 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held investment banking required
required, not held mergers and acquisitions required
optional, not held holding company activities optional
optional, not held accounting optional
optional, not held business loans optional
optional, not held securities optional

Index

Other moves recorded from dividend analyst

Full index of moves from dividend analyst

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.