Career prospects

There is a growing need for well-trained young talent able to see ‘the story behind the numbers’ in the financial industry. Further, the future of finance must include professionals who have a firm grasp on the impact their decisions have upon society.

You are prepared to work within financial institutions and regulators worldwide, functioning at an excellent practical and academic level. Graduates have gone on to work in a number of different institutions and sectors including:

  • central banks, e.g. European Central Bank, Dutch Central Bank;
  • commercial banks e.g. ABN AMRO, HSBC, ING, Rabobank;
  • supranational financial institutions, e.g. World Bank, IMF;
  • insurance firms and pension funds, e.g. Delta Lloyd, PGGM;
  • financial market regulators, e.g. BaFin and AFM;
  • start-ups and venture capital firms;
  • consultancy firms;
  • research institutes e.g. the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB), Eurostat;
  • government ministries e.g. Ministry of Economic Affairs or Finance.

The experience I gained in programming led me to my current role in finance

Positions in the financial industry held by our graduates include:

  • Employee at a financial institution
    As an employee in a financial institution, you have a number of career opportunities such as investment banking, commercial banking, portfolio or fund management, risk management, compliance, securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, or rating analyst.
  • Regulator in the financial sector 
    As a regulator in the financial sector, you will translate international regulation to supervise financial institutions, and you monitor whether the financial institutions that are supervised are able to manage the implementation of such regulation. 
  • Researcher
    As a researcher, you aim to gain a better understanding of the role of central and commercial banks, customers, companies and households in financial markets and economies. Identifying and interpreting underlying mechanisms and new solutions in finance is key for the stability and efficiency of financial markets and institutions.

Alumni stories

Curious about the jobs our alumni got? Browse the LinkedIn profile below or check the testimonials.

  • Peter Kiss

    Risk Manager at Rabobank.

    Utrecht, The Netherlands.

    LinkedIn
    Peter Kiss
    View my profile on LinkedIn

  • Nelleke van der Lei

    Portfolio Manager at Deutsche Bank.

    Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany.

    LinkedIn
    Nelleke van der Lei
    View my profile on LinkedIn

Professional connections

Through the close professional connections of the Finance Section of the Utrecht University School of Economics, you have an opportunity to build links with both financial institutions and regulators. In many courses, experienced practitioners share their real-world perspectives on the interplay between practice and theory in guest lectures. These guest lectures, as well as the opportunity for Master’s theses research internships, visits to financial institutions, and career events will help you to connect with a network of professionals for career opportunities. The study association ECU'92 organises regular career events, where you have a chance to speak with potential employers.

UU Career Services

UU Career Services offers training related to career orientation and job application skills; examples include writing an application letter and CV and conducting a job interview. You can find more information about career services on UU Career Services for Dutch students or UU Career Services for international students. Furthermore, the alumni network supports graduates with workshops and meet-ups after graduation to expand networks and skills.

UU Careers Day

Once a year, Utrecht University organises a Careers Day. The Careers Day offers the opportunity to sign up for workshops and trainings, have your resume assessed, and meet recruiters.