Wading through the frenzy of the trading floor, or surrounded by computers humming miles away from Wall Street, brokerage clerks track the progress of every player in the game of high finance. Their wide-ranging responsibilities in this growing field all involve computing and recording data on securities transactions. The most common type of brokerage clerk is called the Broker's assistant or sales assistant. This clerk interfaces with clients and handles the paperwork for securities purchases and sales and other account records. They're knowledgeable about investment products and can explain them clearly. Other brokerage clerks specialize in tracking and organizing the sales and purchases of every stock, bond, commodity or other investment product offered by a securities firm. It's all managed by customized computer software. A high school diploma can suffice for brokerage clerk positions that are primarily clerical. A bachelor's degree is preferred for job categories requiring a deeper understanding of finance. Many brokerage firms hire college graduates for entry-level clerical jobs and promote them into management positions as their skills develop. This is a field that requires focus, confidence, financial savvy, communications skills and energy.
What they do:
Perform duties related to the purchase, sale, or holding of securities. Duties include writing orders for stock purchases or sales, computing transfer taxes, verifying stock transactions, accepting and delivering securities, tracking stock price fluctuations, computing equity, distributing dividends, and keeping records of daily transactions and holdings.
On the job, you would:
Correspond with customers and confer with coworkers to answer inquiries, discuss market fluctuations, or resolve account problems.
Document security transactions, such as purchases, sales, conversions, redemptions, or payments, using computers, accounting ledgers, or certificate records.
File, type, or operate standard office machines.
Arts and Humanities
English language
Business
customer service
accounting and economics
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Engineering and Technology
computers and electronics
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
talking to others
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
communicate by speaking
Math
add, subtract, multiply, or divide
choose the right type of math to solve a problem
Ideas and Logic
order or arrange things
notice when problems happen
People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
Dependability
Integrity
Attention to Detail
Analytical Thinking
Stress Tolerance
Persistence
You might use software like this on the job:
Data base user interface and query software
Microsoft Access
Structured query language SQL
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Customer relationship management CRM software
Royal Alliance VISION2020 Core
Salesforce software
bachelor's degree or high school diploma/GED usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force, Marine Corps, or Navy.
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