Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
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.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
Other titles
Broker, Commodities Broker, Equity Trader, Financial Advisor, Financial Consultant, Investment Representative, Investments Advisor, Investments Specialist, Personal Banker, Trader
Tasks they perform
- Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities.
- Monitor markets or positions.
- Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients.
Skills they need
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents.
Credit Analysts
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Personal Financial Advisors
Investment Fund Managers
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Additional career information and resources
Learn more about securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents with these helpful sites.
- American Institute of Banking (external link opens new tab)
- American Institute of CPAs (external link opens new tab)
- Association for Financial Professionals (external link opens new tab)
- Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (external link opens new tab)
- CFA Institute (external link opens new tab)
- Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (external link opens new tab)
- National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (external link opens new tab)
- NFA (external link opens new tab)
- North American Securities Administrators Association (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents (external link opens new tab)