Financial analyst to investment adviser
A financial analyst already meets 35% of what the investment adviser role asks for. The move turns on 14 required skills not yet in the profile.
68.6/ 100
1 How much of what an investment adviser is expected to do is already part of a financial analyst’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the investment adviser role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An investment adviser role treats 9 of its required skills as things a financial analyst already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- advise on financial matters
- analyse financial risk
- assess financial viability
- asset management
- explain financial jargon
- financial products
What stands in the way is 14 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An investment adviser role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a financial analyst background worth leading with.
- already held explain financial jargon communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held green bonds business, administration and law
- already held sustainable finance business, administration and law
- already held fundamental analysis business, administration and law
- already held asset management business, administration and law
- already held monitor stock market information skills
All 15 carried skills, including the 9 the investment adviser role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 33 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn monitor bond market required
- still to learn analyse market financial trends required
- still to learn assess risks of clients' assets required
- still to learn obtain financial information required
- still to learn provide support in financial calculation required
- still to learn synthesise financial information required
- optional, not held consult credit score optional
- optional, not held analyse business plans optional
- optional, not held ensure proper document management optional
- optional, not held examine credit ratings optional
- optional, not held perform stock valuation optional
- still to learn banking activities required
- still to learn financial markets required
- still to learn funding methods required
- still to learn modern portfolio theory required
- still to learn securities required
- optional, not held impact investing optional
- optional, not held principles of insurance optional
- optional, not held social bonds optional
- optional, not held business valuation techniques optional
- optional, not held credit control processes optional
- optional, not held types of insurance optional
- still to learn advise on investment required
- still to learn provide financial product information required
- still to learn review investment portfolios required
- optional, not held identify customer's needs optional
- optional, not held promote financial products optional
- optional, not held prospect new customers optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held communicate with banking professionals optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held apply credit risk policy optional
- optional, not held perform clerical duties optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an investment adviser role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 monitor bond market practise this
- 02 advise on investment practise this
- 03 analyse market financial trends practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 15 skills that carry over
- already held advise on financial matters skill
- already held analyse financial risk skill
- already held assess financial viability skill
- already held asset management knowledge
- already held explain financial jargon skill
- already held financial products knowledge
- already held interpret financial statements skill
- already held monitor stock market skill
- already held stock market knowledge
- already held analyse financial performance of a company skill
- already held create a financial plan skill
- already held develop investment portfolio skill
- already held fundamental analysis knowledge
- already held green bonds knowledge
- already held sustainable finance knowledge
19 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held consult credit score optional
- optional, not held identify customer's needs optional
- optional, not held impact investing optional
- optional, not held principles of insurance optional
- optional, not held promote financial products optional
- optional, not held prospect new customers optional
- optional, not held social bonds optional
- optional, not held analyse business plans optional
- optional, not held apply credit risk policy optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held business valuation techniques optional
- optional, not held communicate with banking professionals optional
- optional, not held credit control processes optional
- optional, not held ensure proper document management optional
- optional, not held examine credit ratings optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held perform clerical duties optional
- optional, not held perform stock valuation optional
- optional, not held types of insurance optional
32 held skills the investment adviser role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role accounting knowledge
- not needed by the target role advise on tax planning skill
- not needed by the target role business analytics knowledge
- not needed by the target role business processes knowledge
- not needed by the target role consider economic criteria in decision making skill
- not needed by the target role cost management knowledge
- not needed by the target role create a financial report skill
- not needed by the target role develop transportation cost metrics skill
- not needed by the target role digital data processing skill
- not needed by the target role economics knowledge
- not needed by the target role empirical analysis knowledge
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with disclosure criteria of accounting information skill
- not needed by the target role financial forecasting knowledge
- not needed by the target role financial management knowledge
- not needed by the target role game theory knowledge
- not needed by the target role handle mergers and acquisitions skill
- not needed by the target role investment banking knowledge
- not needed by the target role macroeconomics knowledge
- not needed by the target role management consulting knowledge
- not needed by the target role mergers and acquisitions knowledge
- not needed by the target role microeconomics knowledge
- not needed by the target role monitor loan portfolio skill
- not needed by the target role offer financial services skill
- not needed by the target role perform business analysis skill
- not needed by the target role perform business research skill
- not needed by the target role prepare financial projections skill
- not needed by the target role provide cost benefit analysis reports skill
- not needed by the target role public offering knowledge
- not needed by the target role quantitative analysis knowledge
- not needed by the target role statistics knowledge
- not needed by the target role treasury management system knowledge
- not needed by the target role use business simulation tools skill
11 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn banking activities required
- still to learn financial markets required
- still to learn funding methods required
- still to learn modern portfolio theory required
- still to learn securities required
- optional, not held impact investing optional
- optional, not held principles of insurance optional
- optional, not held social bonds optional
- optional, not held business valuation techniques optional
- optional, not held credit control processes optional
- optional, not held types of insurance optional
Other moves recorded from financial analyst
- corporate investment banker 43% covered · substantial
- investment analyst 41% covered · substantial
- securities analyst 39% covered · substantial
- investment manager 37% covered · substantial
- actuarial consultant 33% covered · substantial
- mergers and acquisitions analyst 33% covered · substantial
- investment fund management assistant 32% covered · substantial
- mutual fund broker 32% covered · substantial
Common questions about this move
Can a financial analyst become an investment adviser?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A financial analyst already covers 35% of what an investment adviser is expected to do: 15 skills carry over, 9 of which the investment adviser role treats as required.
What skills does a financial analyst need to become an investment adviser?
14 required skills are missing, plus 19 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is monitor bond market.
How hard is the move from financial analyst to investment adviser?
Its learning distance is 68.6 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
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.