Academic excellence has long been emphasised for finance students – we spend years chasing high grades. But when it comes time to land that graduate job, you’ll quickly find that marks alone aren’t enough. Employers hiring finance graduates certainly appreciate a solid GPA, but they’re really looking for the whole package. In a competitive field like finance, many candidates will have good marks. What can make you stand out are the qualities and experiences beyond the lecture hall. Let’s explore what employers value in new finance graduates (apart from your marks on a transcript).
Yes, Fundamentals Matter (But They’re Not Everything)
First, to be clear: you do need a baseline of good academic performance. Many top finance employers have minimum grade requirements (like a certain WAM or GPA) just to apply. A recent survey of executives found nearly 83% still consider a graduate’s GPA at least somewhat important in hiring decisions . Good grades indicate you grasp the finance concepts and are disciplined. However, once that box is ticked, it’s the other aspects of your profile that determine who gets the offer. Employers often say, “We can teach you the technical stuff, but we can’t teach you how to be a good communicator/leader/etc.” In other words, it’s your skills, experiences, and mindset beyond book-smarts that will often get you hired and drive your success.
Imagine two candidates: Alice has a High Distinction average and nothing else on her resume. Bella has a Credit average but during uni she interned at a local financial advisory, was treasurer of the Finance Society, and volunteered at a charity’s budget committee. Bella can discuss real-world lessons and showcase teamwork, while Alice can only talk about acing exams. More often than not, Bella will be the more attractive hire – she brings demonstrated initiative and practical experience. So while you shouldn’t neglect your studies, it’s crucial to develop yourself in other ways during your student years.
Practical Experience and Internships
If there’s one thing that consistently makes a graduate resume shine, it’s relevant work experience. This could be a summer internship, a part-time analyst job, or even a project with a student consultancy. Employers love to see that you’ve applied your knowledge in real scenarios. In fact, an executive survey revealed that 86% of hiring managers consider internships or similar work experience “very important” or “essential” when evaluating recent graduates . Why? Because experience shows you can operate in a professional environment, and you likely have some practical skills (even if entry-level) under your belt.
If you haven’t done an internship yet, consider that a top goal. It’s not just about beefing up your resume – internships teach you industry lingo, how teams in finance operate, and help you make connections. Even a short stint can give you talking points in interviews. For example, instead of vaguely saying “I’m a hard worker,” you can discuss how you worked full-time for 10 weeks at XYZ Bank’s finance division, juggled multiple tasks, and received positive feedback from your manager on your attention to detail. That concreteness is gold.
Don’t worry if your experience isn’t at a prestigious firm. All experience counts. Worked at a retail store or café? You likely learned customer service and time management – skills very relevant to client-facing finance roles. Volunteered as the fundraising chair for a club? You managed budgets and convinced people to donate – that’s financial planning and stakeholder management in action. The key is being able to articulate what you learned from any experience. Employers look for evidence of initiative – that you didn’t just coast through uni but sought opportunities to apply yourself.
If you truly have zero finance-related experience, one option is to undertake a short internship or project now, even after graduating (some companies offer off-cycle internships or you can do some freelance analysis work for a small business). You can also leverage programs like FThree’s work experience (we at FThree connect students with industry mentors and internships). Showing that you’re actively trying to gain experience signals motivation and proactiveness, which employers love.
Soft Skills: Communication, Teamwork and Leadership
When asked what differentiates candidates beyond academics, many finance employers say: “soft skills”. Chief among these is communication. Whether you end up as an investment analyst, accountant, or financial planner, you’ll need to convey complex information in a clear, persuasive way. It might be explaining a valuation to a client or summarising a financial report for your non-finance manager. Employers will gauge your communication skills from the very first interactions – your emails, how you answer interview questions, etc. They’re asking themselves, “Would I feel comfortable putting this person in front of a client or team?”
A study of finance hiring found that communication, collaboration, and creativity are among the most sought-after skills by employers . It makes sense: finance is ultimately a people business. Numbers matter, but you must be able to discuss and use those numbers effectively with others. Collaboration (teamwork) is another critical skill – finance projects often involve working in teams, sometimes cross-departmental. Employers will look for signs that you can work well with others. Did you do group projects at uni? (If so, be ready to talk about how you handled them.) Were you part of any team activities, like case competitions or sports? Team involvement shows you can cooperate, handle conflict, and contribute to group success.
Leadership is a bonus soft skill that can set you apart as well. As a grad, you’re not expected to have been a manager, but any leadership experience – maybe you led a student club, or took charge of a major assignment – is worth mentioning. It shows initiative and the ability to take responsibility. Employers spot future leaders early. If you demonstrate leadership traits now (like proactivity, accountability, ability to motivate others), you could be seen as someone to fast-track in the company’s graduate development pipeline.
Consider this: in one survey, over half of executives said new graduates most often lack strong communication skills . That means if you can prove your communication abilities, you’re already ahead of many peers. Practice public speaking, work on writing clearly (yes, even your emails and cover letters are samples of your writing), and perhaps hone a second language if relevant to your region. Every bit helps.
Cultural Fit and Attitude
Employers don’t just hire a CV – they hire a person who will join their team. Attitude and personality thus play a big role beyond marks. In interviews, recruiters are assessing: Are you enthusiastic and genuinely interested in finance? Do you seem like someone who will learn and grow, or someone who expects everything to be handed to them? They also consider how you’ll fit the company culture. For instance, an investment bank might look for a candidate who handles pressure well and has a polished, client-ready demeanour. A fintech startup might favour a curious, adaptable personality who thrives in a less structured environment.
One trait universally valued is a willingness to learn. As a fresh grad, you’re not expected to know everything (despite all the university training, real work is different). But you are expected to show humility and eagerness to learn. You might get asked something in an interview that you don’t know – instead of fumbling, a good response could be, “I’m not deeply familiar with that, but I’m keen to learn it. In similar situations before, I’ve picked up new concepts quickly by doing X, Y, Z.” Show that you take feedback well and are motivated to improve.
Another big one is work ethic and reliability. Stories abound in finance about the grad who was always five minutes early to every meeting versus the one who strolled in late – guess who got the better bonus? Demonstrating that you are dependable, organised, and ready to put in effort can often outweigh a slight difference in academic score. One way to signal work ethic is through your experiences: balancing a part-time job with full-time study, or managing an heavy course load successfully, indicates discipline. If you have references or letters of recommendation, they should ideally touch on your professionalism and dedication.
Cultural fit doesn’t mean you have to be a clone of everyone at the firm; it means your values and approach to work align with the company’s. Research the companies you apply to – if one emphasises teamwork and community service, mention your own team activities or volunteer work. If another prides itself on innovation, discuss times you’ve been creative or adaptable. Showing that you “get” what the organisation is about can reassure employers that you’ll integrate well. Remember, a lot of training is an investment – they want to invest in someone who will stick around and mesh with their team.
Technical and Industry Skills (Beyond the Textbook)
While soft skills are crucial, finance employers do expect a certain level of technical competency outside of your grades. Your coursework provided theory, but can you apply tools and techniques practically? A classic example is proficiency in Excel. Almost every finance role uses Excel, yet many grads only know basic functions. If you can model a discounted cash flow or use pivot tables and advanced formulas, that’s a big plus – and you should mention it. In some areas, familiarity with programming (like Python or R for data analysis) is becoming a differentiator. If you’ve taken it upon yourself to learn such skills (maybe through online courses or projects), definitely highlight that.
For finance grads, other useful technical skills or knowledge areas include: understanding financial statements deeply, knowing how to perform valuations, familiarity with Bloomberg or other financial information systems, and even exposure to databases (SQL) if you’re going into certain analyst roles. You don’t need to be an expert – but showing interest and basic ability can tip the scales. For example, “During my free time, I completed the CFA Institute Investment Foundations course to broaden my industry knowledge” or “I taught myself Tableau to visualise data for a research project.” These show initiative and that you go beyond the minimum.
Keep in mind, the finance industry is evolving. Fintech and analytics are now part of finance. If you have skills in those areas (maybe you did a minor in Information Systems or you’ve dabbled in coding), you become very attractive. Many employers say they value grads who are digitally savvy and can help modernise their business. In Australia’s finance sector, for instance, there’s growing demand for professionals who can blend finance expertise with tech proficiency (like using automation tools or understanding big data) . As a new grad, you have an edge if you’re up-to-date on these trends and can at least speak the language of technology in finance.
Lastly, industry awareness is important. Beyond university topics, do you follow finance news? Employers might ask for your view on the markets, or a recent business story. If you can converse about current events intelligently, it shows you genuinely care about the field. It could be as simple as regularly reading the Australian Financial Review or following finance influencers on LinkedIn. Being able to say, “I noticed M&A activity is picking up in the tech sector and that’s something I find exciting” in an interview can leave a strong impression. It shows passion – which is something no grade can reflect.
Extra-Curriculars and Personal Projects
Your activities outside class can paint a vivid picture of your capabilities and character. In finance recruitment, quality often beats quantity here. It’s better to have a couple of significant extra-curriculars where you took active roles, rather than being a passive member of ten clubs. For instance, if you were on the committee of your university’s Finance Society and helped organise a networking event with 200 attendees, that’s fantastic experience in project management and networking. Or maybe you participated in a national case competition – that shows you can apply finance concepts to real problems under pressure.
Even non-finance activities matter. If you were captain of a sports team, employers see leadership and teamwork. If you ran a successful personal blog about investing, they see initiative and genuine interest. Perhaps you started a small side business during uni – that entrepreneurial flair is highly regarded (it means you understand business fundamentals like revenue, costs, customer service from first-hand experience). One candidate I met had started a tutoring service for high school economics; in her interview, she spoke about managing finances for that venture and how it taught her cash flow management – impressive and memorable!
What about certifications and courses? Beyond your degree, certain certifications can signal extra competence. A common one is CFA Level I (Chartered Financial Analyst exam) – if you’ve passed it by graduation, employers know you have strong finance technical knowledge and serious commitment. Not everyone needs to do this, but it’s an example of going above and beyond. There’s also Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC), CPA segments (for those heading to accounting/finance roles), or even relevant online courses (Coursera, edX etc.) in specialised topics like fintech or financial modelling. Include these in your resume if you have them – they show proactive learning. Let’s not also forget our work experience programs either!
Volunteer work and community involvement shouldn’t be underestimated too. Finance today isn’t in a bubble; corporate social responsibility and having well-rounded employees is valued. If you volunteered teaching basic budgeting to communities or helped in any cause, it indicates empathy and responsibility. It might also give you stories that demonstrate skills like organisation, persuasion, or resilience. For example, organising a charity fundraiser involves budgeting, marketing and teamwork – all very relevant to a finance career.
Mindset: Growth and Adaptability
We’ve touched on learning willingness, but let’s emphasise the kind of mindset that employers love: a growth mindset. This means you view challenges as opportunities to learn, you’re not afraid of feedback, and you persist in the face of setbacks. In the fast-changing world of finance (think about how quickly fintech, crypto, or regulatory changes come up), having an adaptable, can-do attitude is crucial. An employer will value a grad who says, “I’m excited to keep learning new regulations or tools as they emerge” over someone who appears rigid or complacent.
Adaptability also extends to being open-minded about tasks. In a graduate role, sometimes you’ll get mundane duties – how you handle them is telling. The grads who shine are those who tackle even small tasks with enthusiasm and then ask for more once done. If you show you can adapt to whatever is thrown your way (be it a sudden urgent project or a change in team), you become a reliable go-to person in the eyes of your employer.
Another aspect is integrity and professionalism. Finance roles often deal with sensitive information and require trust. Employers will look for indicators that you’re ethical and responsible. This might come through in scenario-based interview questions (“What would you do if you caught a mistake that your colleague overlooked?”). They might also glean it from your references or how you speak about past experiences. Always be honest (never embellish or lie in applications – it’s surprisingly common and usually discovered). Demonstrating a strong moral compass and professionalism beyond your years can set you apart as a truly outstanding candidate.
Conclusion: Beyond the Transcript
In summary, think of your good academic record as the ticket to entry – once you’re in the arena of job applications and interviews, it’s everything beyond the marks that will win the day. Employers hiring finance graduates are seeking communicators, problem-solvers, team players, and self-starters. They want to see evidence that you’ve taken initiative (through internships, projects, or leadership), that you can work well with others (through teamwork and communication), and that you’re eager to keep growing (through your attitude and extra efforts).
As a student or new grad, you still have time to build these qualities. If your resume looks light, take action: join a club, start a project, sign up for an internship (even if unpaid to start). If your soft skills feel shaky, push yourself into situations that develop them – perhaps toastmasters for public speaking or collaborative volunteering. And importantly, learn to articulate your experiences. In interviews, you should be ready to share stories that demonstrate how you exhibit these sought-after traits. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure responses about your experiences so that employers can clearly see what you did and learned.
Remember, the goal isn’t to tick off a checklist to impress employers – it’s genuinely to develop yourself into a well-rounded budding professional. The recruiting process, from resume to interview, is just where you showcase that development. Finance is a broad industry with room for various personalities and talents. By focusing on growing beyond academics, you not only make yourself more employable, you set yourself up for a more successful and fulfilling career. You’ll enter the workforce not just as a book-smart grad, but as a young professional ready to contribute from day one.
For those keen to gain experience in the finance industry as soon as possible (and thereby tick off that crucial “experience” box), FThree offers free internships to school students and to second- and third-year university students looking to gain their first finance experience. Sign up to our waiting list today!