Skill path
How to become a Financial Manager
How to become a Financial Manager: skill roadmap with 5 core skills, degree usually required, courses and salary data. Updated weekly.
Education & experience requirements
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
- On-the-job training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Foundations
Skills assumed by employers — the base to build on
- Financial accountingFoundation
- Corporate financeFoundation
Financial activities within companies. Employers need investment and capital decisions. Learn through corporate finance courses.
- Financial modelingFoundation
Building representations of financial performance. Employers need forecasts and valuation. Learn through spreadsheet practice and case studies.
- Economic principlesFoundation
Fundamental concepts like supply, demand, and market behavior. Needed to understand business cycles and inform strategy. Build through economics study and current events analysis.
- Statistical analysisFoundation
Interpreting numerical data using statistical methods. Professionals use this to identify trends, test hypotheses, and make data-driven decisions.
Core skills
The skills that define the role today
- ExcelHigh demand
A spreadsheet program for data organization and analysis. Essential for accountants and many other roles to manage and interpret data.
- Time SeriesHigh demand
Statistical techniques for temporal data. Employers need trend and seasonality analysis. Learn through statistics courses and applied projects.
- LookerHigh demand
A business intelligence platform for visualization. Employers need interactive dashboards. Learn through Looker's own tutorials and practice.
- ERPHigh demand
Enterprise Resource Planning systems integrate business processes. Accountants and managers use ERPs for streamlined operations and data management.
- SalesforceHigh demand
A CRM platform for managing customer relationships and sales processes. Employers use it to track interactions and automate workflows. Learn through Salesforce's own training paths and practical use.
Tools in demand
Specific tools that appear in live postings
- SAPIn demand
A comprehensive ERP system. Accountants and managers utilize SAP for integrated business process management and data analysis.
- Intuit QuickBooksIn demand
Accounting software for small to medium businesses. Accountants and managers use it for bookkeeping, invoicing, and financial reporting.