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Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

O*NET files this work under Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents: people who buy and sell securities or commodities in investment and trading firms, or provide financial services to businesses and individuals. With a code of ECS, this is mostly a job for people drawn to leading, persuading and making business decisions. Conventional interests also help, rated 5.3 out of 7. The preparation level is considerable preparation, typically a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. O*NET’s skill data points to critical thinking, active listening, and monitoring as the ones to build. Expect to make bids or offers to buy or sell securities. If you want leading, persuading and making business decisions, keep it on your list. If you need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, it may feel thin.

What they do

Buy and sell securities or commodities in investment and trading firms, or provide financial services to businesses and individuals. May advise customers about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, and market conditions.

Main tasks

  • Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities.
  • Monitor markets or positions.
  • Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients.
  • Keep accurate records of transactions.
  • Buy or sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies, or other securities on behalf of investment dealers.
  • Complete sales order tickets and submit for processing of client-requested transactions.

Skills

  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on critical thinking and active listening.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.3 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECS takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Broker
  • Commodities Broker
  • Equity Trader
  • Financial Advisor
  • Financial Consultant

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.