What Is An Investment Analyst, And How To Become One?

September 14, 20222 Minutes
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What is an investment analyst?

An investment analyst is a person who works in finance and comes up with and suggests investment plans for clients or employers. They spend a lot of their time researching and analysing stocks, bonds, commodities, and other types of funds and assets. Then, they use this information to make financial models and projections, which they use to write reports and give their suggestions. Investment analysts work for banks, brokerage firms, and private equity firms, among other places in the finance and securities industries. Some analysts focus on a specific area, such as a particular industry, location, or type of asset.

How to get a job as an investment analyst:

The process of becoming an investment analyst can be broken down into the following steps:

  1. Get your Bachelor's.

    Investment analyst jobs usually require at least a bachelor's degree in a field related to the job. A degree programme gives you the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this field. The coursework includes economics, advanced math and statistics, corporate finance, and accounting basics.

  2. Gain relevant experience

    Look for financial internships to learn more about the industry. This gives you a chance to use the skills and knowledge you've learned in school in the real world. In some cases, companies use internships to find good candidates who they can hire after they graduate.

  3. Get an industry certification

    Getting a Chartered Financial Analyst certification is usually needed to work as an investment analyst (CFA). For admission, you must have a bachelor's degree, four years of work experience, or both (which adds up to four years). You have to pass three tests as part of this certification programme.

    You can apply for a job as an investment analyst once you get your CFA certification. Take the initiative at your job, and always keep upskilling so you can continue to grow. You can opt for free online finance courses like the ones provided by Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Career Foundation). Consider pursuing a master's degree as well. It can help you advance your career as an investment analyst.

What does an investment analyst do?

The main job of an investment analyst is to figure out what their stakeholders need, predict how potential investments will turn out, and look for ways to help stakeholders reach their financial goals. A typical day at work includes:

  1. doing research and collecting financial information about businesses and markets

  2. Meeting with clients or bank reps to find out what their financial goals and needs are

  3. studying how stocks, bonds, and markets have done in the past and how they are doing now

  4. Collecting and analysing financial data to look at portfolios and opportunities

  5. helping investment bank employees come up with new financial products

  6. Using spreadsheets and other financial software to put together reports on portfolios, transactions, and projections

  7. Putting together presentations to show financial predictions or try to get investors interested

  8. giving advice on specific investment opportunities, companies, or markets

    Take a free career guidance test to know more about the job and if it is the right one for you. You can take one at Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Career Foundation).

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March 30, 20223 Minutes

Letter Writing: Types And Formats

Before the advent of technology, letters used to be the earliest means of communication with family and friends. While it may not seem very important in the modern-day, letter writing is still essential. Be it an invitation to friends and family, or a cover letter, a resignation letter or even a letter of recommendation - knowing how to write them is crucial for communication. Everyone should know how to write a Letter. For the above reasons, writing a letter is one of the most valuable things you can learn. There are various types of letters with their own form and style. However, letter writing is mainly divided into two types - 1. **Informal Letters:**These letters are written to friends and family as an update. These are written conversationally. They are personal and are basically just your thoughts written down. Since the letter will be received by friends or family, there is no problem if you use slang, abbreviations, or familiar terms. However, the letter's content must be penned down well enough to make sense. It shouldn't be all over the place. Additionally, incorrect grammar and spelling are not allowed. <br /> <br /> 1. **Formal Letters:** These letters are written for formal or official occasions/reasons. These are written to colleagues, bosses, potential employers/employees, newspapers, schools, etc. Formal letters aim to convey important information in a clear and precise manner. Unlike informal letters, formal letters use professional and respectful language. Writing a letter is not difficult once you learn the format. In addition, using a readable font, good formatting, and spacing are very important. Read on to know the format and parts of a letter, so you can improve your skills in letter writing: An informal letter has six main parts. These are <br /> <br /> 1. **Sender's address:**The sender's address and contact details of the sender are written here. You can also include an email address. <br /> <br /> 1. **Date:** The date comes below the sender's address and can be written in any format. <br /> <br /> 1. **Greeting or Salutation:**Sir / Respected Sir / Madam/ Dear <br /> <br /> 1. **Body of the Letter:**The content of the letter comes here. Whatever message you want to communicate. <br /> <br /> 1. **Conclusion:** End the letter by stating how you enjoyed writing to them/ how you hope to hear from them soon. <br /> <br /> 1. **Subscription/ Signature:** This is the last part of the letter. It goes like this - Yours truly/ Yours lovingly/Yours sincerely/Kind regards and is followed by your name. A formal letter has all the above parts and also includes the following: <br /> <br /> 1. **Receiver's Address:** The address of the receiver of the letter is written here. This could be the office address/editor's address/school address, etc. <br /> <br /> 1. **Subject:** The subject must convey what the letter is about in one line. Here is the format of a formal letter. For an informal letter, only remove the receiver's address and the subject, and you are good to go. Improve your English communication skills with free [online courses](/online-courses) from Glow \& Lovely Careers (formally known as The Fair \& Lovely Career Foundation).