finance videos

If you work and pay taxes, carry insurance on your home or car, belong to an HMO, or are putting money away for your retirement, you depend on the work of actuaries. Actuaries make up a rare breed of problem solver for the business world -- so unique there are only 19 thousand of them at work in North America. But they are in demand in the insurance and financial securities industries because of their ability to put a price tag on probabilities view more

The career of an artist, performer or athlete can be like a roller coaster ride. You can be an unknown one day, and on top of the world the next. A key to success is having a good Agent and Business Manager. An Agent is hired to represent a client. The agent does this by promoting the client’s work to contacts in the industry. It is the agent’s job to handle all negotiations with the potential employer, from specifying working conditions to determining the salary view more

Wading through the frenzy of the trading floor… or surrounded by computers humming miles away from Wall Street… brokerage clerks track the progress of every player in the game of high finance. Their wide-ranging responsibilities in this growing field all involve computing and recording data on securities transactions. The most common type of brokerage clerk is called the Broker's assistant or sales assistant view more

People willing to take the risk of starting their own businesses are called entrepreneurs. There’s no single road to becoming an entrepreneur. Some may hit upon an idea for a business by creating an item or providing a service for friends. Others may decide to quit working for someone else and strike out on their own. Or they may use their entire savings to buy a franchise, like a fast food restaurant view more

Investing has become more complex than ever. There are literally thousands of stocks, bonds and funds to choose from. That’s why advice from Financial Analysts is in great demand. They do the research that helps investors make decisions. The analyst examines a company’s financial records, its projections, even its competitors to get a handle on whether it’s a smart investment...or a risky one view more

The nation’s economy depends on businesses that are sound and trustworthy. But we don’t depend on trust alone. Financial Examiners help to make sure that the laws and guidelines regarding money are being properly followed. For example, when a bank claims it has a certain amount of cash reserves… …or when a company plans to sell shares of stock to the public… …a Financial Examiner checks the records view more

Financial managers follow the money. Their titles and responsibilities vary, but almost every business relies on them working alone or as part of a team to protect the company’s bottom line. The skills involved in guiding the flow of money through a corporation are considered so vital to its success that these executives often attain the top ranks of company management. A Chief Financial Officer, or CFO, is usually a firm's top fiscal expert, formulating financial plans and policies and overseeing activities such as mergers and acquisitions, the preparation of reports and forecasts, and all financial and accounting functions view more

Financial institutions “rent” money in the form of loans. If they don’t make any loans, they don’t make any profit. That makes loan officers very important employees, because they’re the ones who work with customers to assemble and analyze the information needed to determine how much someone can borrow. There are set financial formulas, to be sure. But loan officers who specialize in “commercial” lending, or loans to businesses, must also know a lot about the businesses their customers are in view more

Medical and health services managers are managers first and foremost. But because they are employed by hospitals, nursing homes, and government agencies concerned with health care, they face special challenges. The structure and financing of the health care industry is changing rapidly. So whether these managers oversee nursing, surgery, physical therapy, or some other hospital department, they are under constant pressure to cut costs while improving services view more

Property or Real Estate Managers are the people who supervise the vital behind the scenes operations of malls, commercial office buildings or apartment buildings. They advertise apartments and commercial space, negotiate leases, pay bills, prepare financial statements and report to the owners on the status of their properties. Managers also negotiate contracts for building services and hire and supervise maintenance and management personnel view more

It looks so simple: the house is for sale. Someone wants to buy it. But the negotiations, financing and closing of the deal can be very complex. So most people selling real estate, and buying it, work with a broker. Real estate brokers have to be licensed by the state where they’re selling property. They take 30 to 90 hours of coursework about marketing property, zoning and tax laws, inspections, mortgages and other related matters view more