A Look at Some of Your Financial Services Companies

Financial services firms are those organizations in the financial service industry that provide financial advisory, investment, banking, and management advice to individuals, small businesses, corporations, and other financial institutions. Financial services are actually the non-management services offered by the financial sector, which includes a wide array of financial services companies that handle cash, securities, personal loans, bank loans, mortgages, corporate bonds, repossessions, and insurance. The financial services industry is a large and complex entity, made up of many different subsets.

There are investment banks, savings and loans, commercial banks, trust companies, insurance companies, government-backed central banks, public or private pension fund administrators, market makers, and securities dealers, among others. The financial services industry also includes investment grade banks and money managers. The financial services companies are responsible for helping individuals, businesses, governments, and other institutions to prepare and plan for their financial future. Many financial services companies monitor and track the performance of the financial markets, helping to determine whether or not to provide certain products and/or services to consumers and/or investors.

An important component of the financial services industry is the financial adviser. Financial advisers work for themselves, providing a variety of financial services tailored to different clients' needs. Some financial services companies provide advisory services to corporations as a part of their general business offerings. Other financial services companies work with individuals, privately, to provide specialized financial advice. They may work directly with corporations or independently, offering their own take on financial services.

Job roles within the financial services sector vary greatly depending upon the location of the firm. In some countries, the role of finance managers play an important part in running the day-to-day operations of a company. Finance managers are typically in charge of hiring, managing, and paying employees. They are also in charge of analyzing the results of the business in order to ensure that it is maximizing its profits and minimizing its expenses. Successful finance managers often run the show and have wide access to information regarding major decisions within the corporation, making sure all parties are informed.

Corporate finance managers are in charge of investing and managing corporate resources such as cash, accounts receivables, investments, and trade debts. They are the ones making the major decisions regarding any outside financing. Most of these managers have backgrounds in banking, investing, and/or financial service administration. Most of these jobs involve working with international banking and/or investment management. They may also be involved in mergers and acquisitions, working with international joint venture agreements, or working at home establishing themselves as a financial services firm.

Bank tellers, like finance managers, are in charge of providing financial advice to customers and businesses. A large portion of the work done by bank tellers is research. They analyze a customer's financial statements, risk assessments, and recommendations as to what actions would be best to take in order to protect their assets. In some instances, they will conduct interviews with customers, ask questions about their credit, checking accounts, mortgages, and auto loans, and determine what action would be best for them to take with regards to their assets.

Investment management involves working with banks to invest their client's money for them. The job duties may vary greatly between financial services firms, but most will focus on one area such as savings and investment, commercial lending, real estate investment, financial planning, and more. Typically, investment management professionals will have a background in  finance , banking, and other related fields. They will likely also have worked in the industry for many years and be familiar with the ups and downs of banking regulation, as well as the ins and outs of investments.

Retail banking refers to the work that a bank does for consumers, not for other financial institutions. While some retailers deal directly with consumers, most operate independently and are considered wholesalers and retailers. Many large financial investment companies like banks and investors also do retail banking. These companies focus on lending to consumers, through any means that they feel will be most beneficial to the client.