How to become a Stockbroker/Securities Dealer

The term 'Securities Dealer' or 'Stockbroker' implies several activities. When educated as a securities dealer you may be authorized to trade securities at a Stock Exchange (also called a dealer).

You may also specialize in either analyzing companies, financial markets, interest rates, the macro-economic development etc. for the purpose of preparing trading recommandations on which the dealers base their transactions.

The analyst also makes research reports directly targeted at clients. Both analysts and dealers have professional relationships with clients and are in close contact with companies.

In addition to trading and research the large investment banks often carry out specific corporate finance activities such as initial public offerings (IPO), mergers and acquisitions (M&A) etc.

An investment bank is a financial institution solely engaging in the transmssion of securities transactions, the provision of financial advisory assistance and other sevices related to this.

The job is extremely internationally oriented with stays abroad as part of it. The education most often follows one of the two ways described below:

1. First you receive training in a bank and after two years you become a bank clerk. Then you specialize in securities transactions and advisory services - often as an investment adviser upon which you may be employed as a securities dealer. This may be supplemented with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in finance or a MBA.
2. After having completed more advanced studies (postgraduate studies) (typically Master in Economics etc.) you will be employed as a securities dealer. Analysts generally have a broader educational background, e.g. within IT, medicine, physics, chemistry etc.

In order to become a competent securites dealer it is important that you have a good talent for "sound business practice". The education of the "typical" securities dealer is generally said to be concentrated on a Master in Economics.