In the United States, the designation “Registered Representative” is obtained by passing the General Securities Representative Exam, also known as the “Series 7 exam,” offered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Applicants must also be employed with a registered brokerage firm.
Mostly working in big, chaotic offices, you spend most of your work day on the phone and computer looking after any changes that impact companies, industries or the financial market and informing them back to your clients. The main objective is to take care of your client’s financial portfolio whether it be a company, or an individual by informing them on which shares to buy or sell in order to achieve the best return of investment. In order to do so, you are required to be a quick thinker, and not be afraid to make risky decisions. It is important to understand how businesses work with each other and how political and government policies can impact businesses.