Every industry is sustained by its army of professionals who study, strategize and act on behalf of the markets in which they are involved in order to maintain professional standards.
Whether you are involved in law, education, or finance then you will need access to many professional tools that are essential to your day-to-day operations as you seek to stay educated, employable, and informed.
Only by maintaining best practices based on your own initiative, education, and information available can you deliver the highest possible service to yourself, your industry, and your clients.
While every sector has its own tools and resources, some of the best, but not limited to in finances include:
- Education
- CRM software
- Financial news sources
Each country licenses financial professionals and accountants through their own board with differing procedures, policies, and regulations while CRM software has become the basis of business management in the 21st century and sources of internet, TV, and radio news are still an essential part of the financial industry.
Education
Of course, the first step to any career in a given profession is to undertake relevant education and expand your knowledge from the best possible establishments and sources.
Establishments such as the London School of Economics, New York University, and the Shanghai Institute of Finance all offer some of the best education that money can buy but there is much more to just picking out a college and applying for it.
In the United States, for example, becoming a Certified Public Accountant requires licenses and practices for each individual state which governs its own board of licensors each with differing policies in addition to a uniform examination (by the AICPA) that must be undertaken.
A more comprehensive guide to each state’s requirements can be found at AccountingEDU.org as well as information about the different types of accountancy careers available and the best establishments at which to study.
CRM software
Given the online nature of the modern world and the sheer volume of clients that any successful financial advisor or accountant is likely to have, it becomes necessary to digitize information so as to make it readily available at the click of a button.
Client Relationship Management software (CRM) allows just that and can be used for keeping track of not only client personal details such as addresses but conversations, portfolios, and schedules.
Many of the best CRM applications can easily integrate into modern systems such as social media platforms, digital communications channels such as email, and specialized, industry-specific software.
More recently, financial CRM software has been made adaptable for integration into cloud-based solutions which are essential in the current climate of data theft and/or loss.
Financial news sources
As with almost every industry, the best in the business are those who keep their ear to the ground and the finance industry is one of the most active industries in the world.
As a finance professional you should seek to always be actively engaged with your clients by proactively managing accounts based upon news from the ever-changing markets, world economies, and even local industry.
There are many sources of financial news across all three major mediums of TV, radio, and the internet.
Such sources include MSNBC, Bloomberg, Forbes.com, Reuters, marketing and financial podcasts, and news radio channels.
The vast majority of these sources can be accessed either for free or as part of digital TV subscription services that you already pay for such as TiVo, Cable, or Sky TV and they should be watched regularly so as to react in a suitable manner to any pressing issues that could impact either yours or your client’s business.
(Disclaimer: This content is a partnered post. This material is provided as news and general information. It should not be construed as an endorsement of any investment service. The opinions expressed are the personal views and experience of the author, and no recommendation is made.)