Breaking Into Finance With No Experience: 2026 Guide

Finance is about how businesses, individuals, banks, and governments manage money. And if you’re considering the finance career path, there are plenty of opportunities to build a well-paying career, even at the entry level.

But finance can also be fast-paced and demanding, so finding the right fit matters. If you’re ready to explore the field, here’s how to get into finance with no experience, build the right skills, and stand out to employers in 2026.

Get an Education and Build the Right Skills

Breaking into finance starts with building the knowledge and skills employers are looking for.

Build Your Finance Foundation

A bachelor’s degree is common among finance professionals. According to Zippia, 77% have one, often in finance or related fields like economics, business, accounting, or mathematics.

>>RELATED: 13+ Jobs for Finance Majors in 2025

Build Technical Finance Skills

While finance isn’t usually considered a tech career, it requires technical skills to analyze, report on, and predict finances. Some general key finance skills include:

• Financial modeling skills, including DCF valuation, leveraged buyout (LBO) models, merger & acquisition (M&A) models, and sensitivity analysis — these are particularly foundational for investment banking and private equity roles
• Microsoft Excel skills, including complex formulas, pivot tables, macros, and financial functions like net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR)
• PowerPoint skills for creating compelling pitch decks and client presentations
• Financial statement analysis, including the ability to read balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements, calculate key ratios, and identify trends
• Industry-specific software expertise, including Bloomberg Terminal, FactSet, Capital IQ, QuickBooks, and Sage
• Data analytics and visualization skills using tools like Power BI, Tableau, or Python
• Knowledge of key performance indicators and metrics such as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), working capital ratios, and industry-specific benchmarks

Excel Skills for Business Finance

Apply Excel skills to build a financial forecast and present business performance clearly

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Avg. Time: 6-7 hours

Skills you’ll build: Business Metrics, Cash Flow Forecasting, Data Presentation, Data Visualization, Debt Structure, Excel, Financial Analysis, Financial Forecasting, Financial Modeling, Profit and Loss Management

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Ahmad says spreadsheet skills are especially important in finance. “My number one [skill] on the list is the use of spreadsheets for financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting,” says Iqbal Ahmad, founder and CEO of Britannia School of Academics and certified accountant (ACCA) and management accountant (CIMA). “It’s a lifelong skill that can be used in a multitude of roles.”

Soft skills matter, too. Ahmad highlights analytical skills and problem-solving, since finance roles often require you to understand complex information and find solutions. He also notes that candidates may encounter verbal and numerical reasoning tests during the hiring process.

Consider What Finance Role Is Right for You

Finance is a broad career path with a variety of different applications. As you build general finance skills and knowledge, it’s time to start considering what type of finance career you want. Are you interested in being a part of major corporate transactions as an investment banker? Do you prefer working with people and want to become a personal finance advisor? Are you by the book and attentive to detail as an accountant should be? 

Figuring out what type of finance role is right for you might involve some trial and error, including trying different part-time work experiences, internships, or externships.

Investment Banking

Apply your analysis and communication skills to advise clients as part of our Technology, Telecom & Media Investment Banking team

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Avg. Time: 4-5 hours

Skills you’ll build: Business Development, Communication, Cross-Team Collaboration, DCF Modeling, Debt Capital Markets, Enterprise Content Management, Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, M&A Analysis, Presentation Skills, Relationship Building, Strategic Reasoning, SWOT Analysis, Valuation Methods

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If you’re looking for somewhere to start, try taking our free, stress-free finance careers quiz. 

What Finance Career Is Right for Me? Quiz

Take our quiz to figure out which career in finance could be right for you based on your interests and preferences. It’s completely free – you’ll just need to sign up to get your results.

Step 1 of 2

0% LinkedInThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.Pick the TV show or movie you'd be most likely to watch. a. Moneyball b. The Big Short c. Ozark d. Succession e. The Accountant Which career accomplishment would you be most proud of? a. helping a family create a budget to pay off significant debt over several years b. playing a key role in a corporation’s acquisition of another company c. completing complex calculations to develop a flood insurance policy d. implementing cybersecurity policies to protect a financial institution from fraud e. designing a financial strategy to save a hospital hundreds of thousands of dollars Which career aspect is most important to you? a. challenging work b. flexibility c. helping individuals, not corporations d. earning potential e. job security Which problem would you be most interested in working on? a. quantifying financial risks for a business b. identifying the best investment strategy based on market data c. writing code to add features to a budgeting app d. developing individualized financial plans to help people manage their assets e. forecasting a company’s future financial performance Next Which work environment and responsibility appeals to you the most? a. lots of face-to-face client meetings and well-paid, high-stakes work b. quiet time to focus on mathematical computations with few distractions c. collaborating in a team to build new website features for a brokerage firm d. devising a financial plan to present to the company’s chief executives e. working with people from all walks of life Imagine you're on a team developing a simulator game where the player is the CEO of a major corporation during a financial crisis. Which responsibility would you be most excited to take on? a. performing calculations that help the player gauge the potential consequences of their choices b. programming the game interface c. determining how the game will keep track of the fictional company’s financial assets d. simulating how the market crash will impact different industries e. writing suggestions to guide how the player should proceed in different situations Choose a downside of work that would bother you the least. a. having little work-life balance and needing to respond to client questions at all hours b. having a large portion of your income tied to financial markets out of your control c. starting in an entry-level role that requires performing tedious calculations d. challenging and mentally demanding work responsibilities e. slow progress on a project due to compliance and security requirements Which book would you be most likely to read? a. a book about how behavioral economics influences personal finance decisions b. a book about the tax code and regulation of corporations c. a book about investment strategies and building wealth long-term d. a book about how insurance claims adjusters determine who is liable for catastrophes e. a book about how technological innovation has changed the stock market Previous Submit

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Get Experience

Once you’ve built your skills, put them into practice. Hands-on experience shows employers you can apply what you’ve learned — even if it isn’t from a full-time job.

Do an Internship

Internships are especially valuable in finance because many firms use them to recruit future entry-level employees. They can also be highly competitive, particularly in areas like investment banking and wealth management.

Start your search early — some finance internship applications open more than a year in advance. Focus your application on relevant skills, extracurriculars, and leadership experience.

>>MORE: Learn everything you need to know about how to apply for an internship. 

Do a Forage Job Simulation

Forage job simulations show you what working at top companies is like through a series of simulated job tasks. These simulations are built along with these companies, meaning they not only replicate the actual work a professional at that company does but also prove to that company that you’re qualified to succeed in your role.

>>MORE: Explore all Forage accounting and banking and financial services job simulations.

Once you complete a Forage job simulation, you’ll receive sample resume bullets and interview tips to help you with your application. Recruiters look for Forage in the application process — helping you stand out and making you 3.3x more likely to land the role.

Apply to Finance Roles

Once you’ve built your skills and experience, it’s time to start applying.

Talk to Finance Professionals

“Some people don’t realize how beneficial networking can be, but it is essential,” says Chunyang Shen, co-founder of Jarsy Inc. Connecting with professionals through LinkedIn, industry events, and other communities can help you discover opportunities you might otherwise miss.

Ahmad also emphasizes the importance of making a strong professional impression. Keep your resume and LinkedIn profile updated with relevant internships, projects, and experience, and communicate professionally with recruiters and employers throughout the hiring process.

Build a Portfolio

If you don’t have professional experience yet, an online portfolio can show employers what you can do.

Shen recommends including personal finance projects, such as analyzing stocks or creating a hypothetical investment portfolio. The goal is to give a recruiter or hiring manager proof that you’ve applied your finance skills—even outside a formal job.

Stay Up to Date on Larger Trends

Understanding what’s happening in the finance industry can help you speak confidently in interviews and put your skills into context.

“Be a daily active reader of financial news and reports such as Bloomberg Terminal and Wall Street Journal,” Chen says. “It helps you make intelligent points about trends in interviews.”

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