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Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
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.
Also Known As:
Broker
Commodities Broker
Equity Trader
Financial Advisor
Financial Consultant
Investment Representative
Investments Advisor
Investments Specialist
Personal Banker
Trader
Wages
Annual wages for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents in United States
Job Outlook
Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future
United States
2033 Projected Employment
547,900
7% Change From 2023
Explore Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents video
Tasks you might complete in a day.
- Buy or sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies, or other securities on behalf of investment dealers.
- Discuss financial options with clients and keep them informed about transactions.
- Monitor markets or positions.
- Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients.
- Determine customers' financial services needs and prepare proposals to sell services that address these needs.
- Contact prospective customers to present information and explain available services.
- Supervise support staff and ensure proper execution of contracts.
- Relay buy or sell orders to securities exchanges or to firm trading departments.
- Sell services or equipment, such as trusts, investments, or check processing services.
- Offer advice on the purchase or sale of particular securities.
- Contact prospective customers to present information and explain available services.
- Develop financial plans, based on analysis of clients' financial status.
- Complete sales order tickets and submit for processing of client-requested transactions.
- Review all securities transactions to ensure accuracy of information and conformance to governing agency regulations.
- Supervise support staff and ensure proper execution of contracts.
- Calculate costs for billings or commissions.
- Supply the latest price quotes on any security, as well as information on the activities or financial positions of the corporations issuing these securities.
- Interview clients to determine clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, or financial objectives.
- Identify opportunities or develop channels for purchase or sale of securities or commodities.
- Supply the latest price quotes on any security, as well as information on the activities or financial positions of the corporations issuing these securities.
- Track and analyze factors that affect price movement, such as trade policies, weather conditions, political developments, or supply and demand changes.
- Keep accurate records of transactions.
- Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities.
- Identify opportunities or develop channels for purchase or sale of securities or commodities.
- Devise trading, option, or hedge strategies.
- Prepare financial reports to monitor client or corporate finances.
- Report all positions or trading results.
- Complete sales order tickets and submit for processing of client-requested transactions.
- Inform other traders, managers, or customers of market conditions, including volume, price, competition, or dynamics.
- Determine customers' financial services needs and prepare proposals to sell services that address these needs.
- Explain stock market terms or trading practices to clients.
- Track and analyze factors that affect price movement, such as trade policies, weather conditions, political developments, or supply and demand changes.
- Evaluate costs and revenue of agreements to determine continued profitability.
Subject areas you may need to master.
- Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
- Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
- Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
- Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
- Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
- Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
- Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
- Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
- Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
- Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
- Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
- Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
- Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Foreign Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Strengths you may need in this role.
- Coordination - Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
- Troubleshooting - Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
- Active Learning - Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
- Writing - Writing things for co-workers or customers.
- Persuasion - Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
- Speaking - Talking to others.
- Learning Strategies - Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
- Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
- Instructing - Teaching people how to do something.
- Equipment Maintenance - Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
- Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
- Negotiation - Bringing people together to solve differences.
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
- Equipment Selection - Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
- Management of Personnel Resources - Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
- Service Orientation - Looking for ways to help people.
- Mathematics - Using math to solve problems.
- Science - Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
- Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions.
- Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
- Operation and Control - Using equipment or systems.
- Monitoring - Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
- Complex Problem Solving - Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
- Management of Financial Resources - Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
- Management of Material Resources - Managing equipment and materials.
- Programming - Writing computer programs.
- Technology Design - Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
- Systems Evaluation - Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
- Critical Thinking - Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Systems Analysis - Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
- Operations Analysis - Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
- Quality Control Analysis - Testing how well a product or service works.
- Reading Comprehension - Reading work-related information.
- Memorization - Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
- Visualization - Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
- Problem Sensitivity - Noticing when problems happen.
- Hearing Sensitivity - Telling the difference between sounds.
- Speech Clarity - Speaking clearly.
- Night Vision - Seeing at night or under low light.
- Response Orientation - Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
- Glare Sensitivity - Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
- Gross Body Coordination - Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
- Dynamic Flexibility - Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Mathematical Reasoning - Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
- Flexibility of Closure - Seeing hidden patterns.
- Reaction Time - Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
- Time Sharing - Doing two or more things at the same time.
- Extent Flexibility - Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Near Vision - Seeing details up close.
- Static Strength - Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
- Stamina - Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
- Originality - Creating new and original ideas.
- Speed of Limb Movement - Quickly moving your arms and legs.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness - Keeping your arm or hand steady.
- Gross Body Equilibrium - Keeping your balance or staying upright.
- Fluency of Ideas - Coming up with lots of ideas.
- Peripheral Vision - Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
- Inductive Reasoning - Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
- Explosive Strength - Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
- Wrist-Finger Speed - Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
- Trunk Strength - Using your lower back and stomach.
- Rate Control - Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
- Sound Localization - Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
- Written Comprehension - Reading and understanding what is written.
- Speed of Closure - Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
- Finger Dexterity - Putting together small parts with your fingers.
- Control Precision - Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
- Visual Color Discrimination - Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
- Multilimb Coordination - Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
- Number Facility - Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
- Dynamic Strength - Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
- Perceptual Speed - Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
- Written Expression - Communicating by writing.
- Category Flexibility - Grouping things in different ways.
- Selective Attention - Paying attention to something without being distracted.
- Deductive Reasoning - Using rules to solve problems.
- Depth Perception - Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
- Far Vision - Seeing details that are far away.
- Information Ordering - Ordering or arranging things.
- Oral Expression - Communicating by speaking.
- Oral Comprehension - Listening and understanding what people say.
- Manual Dexterity - Holding or moving items with your hands.
- Auditory Attention - Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
- Speech Recognition - Recognizing spoken words.
- Spatial Orientation - Knowing where things are around you.
Average Education Attained
Highest level of education earned by people in this career.
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Content sourced from United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration ("DOLETA") and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development ("DEED")