Why We Love It
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$35,820Potential Avg. Salary
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-8.1%Job Growth Rate
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Dependable Daily WorkloadCareer Attribute
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Don't Take Work HomeCareer Attribute
Financial services representatives work for retail and investment banks. They assist customers with account issues, and help customers make informed decisions about their finances. They often help customers choose between investment opportunities to save for different major life events or goals.
Recommended Schools
What is a Financial Services Representative?
The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in financial services representative roles:
- Meet with customers to discuss short-term and long-term financial needs and goals
- Identify sales opportunities, and recommend bank-provided options to grow accounts
- Help clients choose between different banking, savings, and investment options
- Monitor changes in financial markets to best advise clients
- Encourage customers to come to the bank for handling any future financial needs
A Day in the Life
Financial services representatives work for retail and investment banks, and their role is to help guide customers to sound financial decisions. When customers need to open a new account, or when they’re looking at multiple options for saving for major life goals and events, they often meet with financial services representatives to obtain advice for making the decisions. Financial services representatives follow financial markets and predict market trends, and are well-prepared to advise customers.
Financial services representatives may handle minor financial transactions as well as major ones. For retail banks, a part of their role may be to open new checking and savings accounts for customers, answer basic banking questions, and assist customers with issues or disputes. However, when customers are looking for more advanced savings opportunities, the financial services representative may recommend the purchase of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, depending on customer needs.
Some financial services representatives also work for investment firms and assist with employer-sponsored retirement accounts. These representatives may visit the employer’s place of business to describe retirement savings options to company employees and help them choose between less or more aggressive/risky plans. They also commonly work as the primary representative for employees of that company: answering questions and assisting with loans, early withdraws, and retirement distributions.
Typical Work Schedule
The majority of financial services representatives work full-time schedules during normal business hours. However, those who work for retail banks that have weekend hours may be required to work weekend schedules as well.
Typical Employers
Financial services representatives are hired to work for all types of banks and credit unions. Some of the biggest employers in the U.S. include the country’s largest banking chains: Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup. Others work for investment banks like Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley. A small percentage may work for insurance agencies that specialize in selling annuities.
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How To Become a Financial Services Representative
In many cases, a high school diploma may be sufficient for finding work as a financial services representative, especially for positions in retail banks. Often, financial services representative positions at retail banks are filled through internal promotions. Starting as a teller and showing you’re a dedicated and responsible employee can help you move into higher positions when they open. Usually, the only prerequisite for tellers is experience working with money in any role, such as foodservice or retail.
Investment banks usually have more stringent requirements for the financial service representatives they hire. To secure these positions, a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in finance or a related field is usually required, and some more prestigious positions may even require a master’s degree. Experience working in banks is also helpful when pursuing financial service representative roles at investment banks, so working in a retail bank while in college can help you become more competitive for positions.
Financial service representatives who work in insurance may be able to find work with only a high school diploma, but they’ll need to be licensed to sell annuities in their states. Becoming licensed to sell annuities requires passing a detailed examination. The exams are computer-based and must be taken in person at a testing facility in the state where licensure is being sought. Additionally, financial service representatives who sell in multiple states must be licensed to sell annuities in each of those states.
Financial Services Representative Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
$29,460Average
$35,820High Range
$48,120National Hourly Wage
Low Range
$14/hrAverage
$17/hrHigh Range
$23/hrHow do Financial Services Representative salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Financial Services Representative's can make an average annual salary of $35,820, or $17 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $29,460 or $14 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
#606 Nationally for All Careers
Highest Education Among Financial Services Representatives
- 0.4% Doctorate
- 3.8% Masters
- 23.4% Bachelors
- 9.8% Associates
- 35.9% College
- 25.8% High School
- 0.8% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
52,9002024 Est. Jobs
48,600Job Growth Rate
-8.1%Est. New Jobs
-4,300How does Financial Services Representative job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of -4,300 jobs for a total of 48,600 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a -8.1% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
#731 Nationally for All Careers
What Companies Employ The Most Financial Services Representatives
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depository credit intermediation | 48,900 | -4,800 | -5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 1,000 | --- | --- |
| Other nondepository credit intermediation, including real estate credit and consumer lending | 700 | 100 | 0% |
