Investment analyst
Spot the companies that you think will be successful in the future. Advise people whether to invest their money in them.
About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£423
Entry level
£1,250
Experienced
Monthly
£1,833
Entry level
£5,417
Experienced
Yearly
£22,000
Entry level
£65,000
Experienced
17,600
people are currently employed
High growth
800 more jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You’d spot the companies that you think will be successful in the future according to your analysis of economic trends.
You’d provide information and reports to help stock market traders, stockbrokers and fund managers decide whether to invest money in these companies.
Your research would also show when a company or fund is losing its value.
You would:
Research the financial performance of companies
Keep up to date with political and economic developments that may affect the financial markets
Monitor the financial press
Examine company accounts
Analyse economic and business data
Make recommendations about investments
Write reports for fund managers and stockbrokers
You’d do a lot of work with numbers especially using spreadsheets. You’d need to understand economics, business and financial markets.
You could specialise in one industry, for example energy or pharmaceuticals. Or you might focus on a particular geographic region such as Eastern Europe or South America.
Hours
Environment
Travel
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- analysing
- taking initiative
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- researching
- working with numbers
- written communication
- working with technology
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Accounting
Business
Economics
Mathematics
Skills for Work: Financial Services
Statistics
Foundation Apprenticeship: Financial Services
Foundation Apprenticeship: Accountancy
Applications of Mathematics
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Though there are no set qualifications to enter this job most applicants have a degree at 2:1 or above; a professional qualification or both.
You can apply with a degree in any subject but a numerate, finance or business qualification can be particularly helpful. Some employers may look for languages and specialist knowledge in areas such as engineering.
To enter a course in a relevant degree subject such as finance, investment and risk requires National 5s and minimum of four Highers at BBBC.
Entry to a postgraduate course usually requires a relevant degree.
Once in the job you will be expected to gain professional qualifications that meet standards set out by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) such as the Investment Management Certificate (IMC).
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