FINANCIAL PLANNING PROGRAM

WPU is proud to be the 1st officially registered student chapter of the Financial Planning Association.




Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Article about 'internships' being key for college students



The NJ Record published a great article about internships today.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/education/college/84759632_To_get_your_foot_into_a_career_door__find_an_internship.html

Here are some highlights (see the above link for full article):
Companies often use internships as a way to identify promising talent, so landing one could be the first step to getting a full-time job.

Competition for the best internships is stiff. It is important to have a strong academic record and involvement in extracurricular activities. For the most competitive internships, you might need previous internship experience.

A high-quality internship involves more than getting coffee or making photocopies. Real internships offer students the opportunity to learn about a potential career, develop marketable skills and establish a network of contacts.

A few additional pieces of information for you:
-WPU offers credit for internship experience through FIN 490
-Internships are a great way to find out if you'd really enjoy working in that profession.
-Students that demonstrate superior work habits and potential are more likely to be offered a full-time position upon completing the internship, or will receive a referral or recommendation from the internship provider that will help them gain employment elsewhere.

Friday, February 12, 2010

MSN article about college classes that will help you in the 'real' world

A recent article on 'MSN Careers' listed 7 courses you should take to help you in the real world:
1. Personal finance/accounting
2. Technology
3. Public speaking
4. Writing
5. Marketing
6. Sales
7. Management

In order to become proficient in a career as a financial planner, you will need to be proficient at almost all of these. So in addition to your financial planning courses, you should incorporate courses into your degree plan that will improve your proficiency in the topics listed above. Here are some courses you should add:

*COMM 263 (Public speaking)
*RPS 205 (Professional sales)
*RPS 420 (Financial services selling)
*FIN 490 (Internship in finance)
*COMM 360 (Interpersonal communication)
*ENG 207 (Effective business writing)