Most Important Skills for a Financial Consultant at Raftelis Financial Consulting
Erik, a Financial Consultant, emphasizes that while technical skills like Excel proficiency are valuable, the most important skills are "a willingness to kind of have meaningful interactions with people," a "desire to talk to clients," and "a willingness to learn" because each client and situation presents unique challenges within the complex world of water and wastewater affordability. Further, a willingness "to break things" and problem-solve is crucial for success in this field.
Communication, Problem-Solving, Analytical Skills, Learning Agility, Client Interaction
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Erik Milde
Financial Consultant
Raftelis Financial Consulting
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
N/A
Engineering - Civil
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Energy & Utilities, Government & Public Sector
Finance
Disabled, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are crucial for interacting with clients and understanding their needs.
2. A willingness to learn is essential due to the diverse nature of clients and projects.
3. The ability to think critically and solve problems, including the willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes, is vital for success in financial consulting.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
I think for a job like mine, you can learn a lot of the basic computer skills online. This includes things like how to use Excel or how to edit files.
Honestly, some of the major skills needed are a willingness to have meaningful interactions with people. A desire to talk to clients and understand their needs is a huge asset.
Perhaps not a skill, but a soft skill would be the willingness to learn. Every client is different, and their needs vary.
This means we are constantly trying to understand the context. We consider political and social situations because they impact the affordability of water and wastewater services. These factors can have significant ramifications for a community.
So, those are some of the two big skills. If we wanted to take it further, a willingness to break things and figure out how they work is also important. Sometimes you have to mess things up to understand them. For example, breaking an Excel model and then figuring out how to fix it and make it do what you need it to do.