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The job market for financial analysts has remained robust during the post-COVID era. The strong profitability of financial institutions, which benefit from higher interest rates and a multi-year stock market rally, has underpinned demand for fresh graduates with strong financial analytical skills.  

Market Demand and Industry Growth

As of late 2024, the unemployment rate for financial analysts was 1.9%, well below the 4.1% national average, indicating a very tight labor market for finance grads, which favors job seekers.
There are several broad macro trends driving this demand:   

Technology Integration: Financial institutions generally under-invested in technology after the Global Financial Crisis and have both a ‘tech-deficit’ (ie under investment in new technologies such as cloud computing) and an overhang of technical debt (ie legacy technology which has not been properly maintained or updated). 

Consumerization of Finance: The rise of fintech companies (such as Wealthfront) providing sophisticated financial solutions to consumers has fed the demand for more advanced bespoke solutions ,which were previously only offered to high-net-worth individuals.  

Alternative Asset Growth : The zero-interest rate period (ZIRP) has forced investors to look into new asset classes as an alternative to the classic stocks/bonds portfolio. Real estate, private credit, venture capital, crypto, and private equity are all asset classes that have seen a massive growth in investment interest, driving the demand for more staff to cover the previously small and niche sectors.  

Entry-Level Opportunities

The traditional financial employers – investment banking and securities firms (such as Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan) and asset managers (such as Blackrock)  have been augmented by several new sectors giving graduates access to diverse pathways into the  finance industry, namely :  

Fintech and Technology: The growing fintech sector offers opportunities for analysts with both financial and technology skills.  

ESG and Sustainability: Finance firms now require a broader understanding of ESG frameworks, with candidates having ESG skills now finding new opportunities. 

Alternate Asset Specialists : The growing flows into alternative assets, such as venture capital and private credit, have led to the growth of new specialist asset managers and consulting firms focusing on these burgeoning sectors.  

Skills 

Whereas in the past graduates were evaluated on a narrow set of quantitative capabilities (such as financial modelling and advanced mathematics), employers are now demanding a more hybrid skillset which augments the traditional finance skills with several new skills :  

Technology: Whereas there was previously a separation between technology and finance workers, the growth of technology adoption within the industry has led to the demand for employees with strong tech skills such as programming and data analytics skills. 

Communication / Soft Skills: One feature of the current environment is the greater amount of customer contact for all financial workers. Technology has reduced many middle-management positions, meaning that specialist workers such as quantitative analysts are now required to communicate more within the organization or directly with customers. This has led to an increased demand for graduates with strong communication and soft skills.   

The 2025 job market for newly graduated financial analysts continues to present exceptional opportunities, however, candidates would be well advised to note the changing landscape and requirements of the finance industry.