broker

While specific roles depend on the type of broker and industry, some standard tasks include:

• analyzing clients' requirements: your role is to identify potential clients for your employer. When you bring in a new client, you analyze their requirements to help them achieve their investment goals. If you deal in financial products, you help investors determine their appetite for risk and guide them on the best stock to put their money in.
• looking for buyers: some clients hire you to find potential buyers for their assets or goods. When looking for buyers, you market the assets, analyze the market value and assist sellers in setting a price. If you are a general broker, you can sell anything, including properties and goods.
• negotiating offers: when you broker a deal, it is your responsibility to bring both parties to the negotiation table to discuss the offer. You help the seller receive a favourable income for their assets.
• preparing the documentation: when the buyer and seller agree on an offer, you prepare the final documents required to complete the sale. That means you compile the tax or stamp duty charges payable by both parties to facilitate the sale.
• analyzing information on market trends: you need first-hand information on the market changes to provide sound advice. If you are an estate broker, analysis of the property market helps you identify the best times to sell a property for maximum returns. Financial market analysis also helps stock brokers identify investment opportunities for clients and the ideal time to buy or sell shares.

Brokers work in offices on their computers to analyze market trends and keep track of financial markets. Your office may be in a brokerage firm, financial institution or organization that needs frequent services. When you work for a single client, your working environment depends on the industry. Some brokers work for insurance or pension firms and have a personal office. As a broker, your work environment may be noisy due to the frequent phone calls by other brokers trying to close a deal. Since the work environment is fast-paced, you should be comfortable working under pressure.

Depending on the company you work for, you are likely to work alongside financial analysts, business analysts and fund managers. You also collaborate with risk analysts, fund administrators and treasury analysts. Other professionals you are likely to work with include underwriters and insurance brokers.

Brokers work long hours, with some working more than 50 hours a week. To cover the opening times of global financial markets, the typical work routine of a broker starts at 7 am and ends after 6 pm. If investors are in different time zones, you work outside business hours to communicate with them. Most broker jobs are full-time positions that may require you to work weekends to meet targets. Part-time positions are rare, but you can find freelancing opportunities. Being a broker also involves travelling to visit clients or close a deal, and sometimes you travel abroad.

Brokers are in high demand since they have diverse roles. As a broker, you can work in different industries that deal with sales or investments. Your career often begins at a junior-level position, and with experience, you become a senior broker. Some brokers increase their qualifications and become fund managers or relationship managers in financial institutions. Alternatively, you can specialize in a specific area like financial products, real estate or commercial sectors. Experienced stockbrokers, estate brokers or commercial brokers are experts in their fields and often become consultants.

Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits:

• always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
• many training opportunities
• a range of jobs in your area

A broker facilitates sales or transactions between sellers and buyers by acting as the middleman. As a broker, you ensure transactions run smoothly by providing both parties with relevant information to facilitate the sale. You also negotiate prices and ensure the seller and buyer come to an agreement.

Whether you are an independent broker or work for a brokerage firm, your primary role is to ensure transactions are lawful. You make sure both parties have the relevant paperwork for the transaction and that funds are recorded and reported properly.

A broker has the qualifications and licence to manage a brokerage. The licence covers real estate transactions and securities. A real estate agent sells houses under a brokerage firm and doesn't have a licence to operate independently.

You require a bachelor's degree in business or a related field to gain the relevant knowledge for the role. You should acquire financial designations, like CFA or CIM status, to improve your career prospects. Completing industry investment training programs also prepares you for the role of a broker.

Whether you are a broker or agent, you act as an intermediary between buyers and sellers. While a broker can act as an agent, most brokers represent clients, while agents represent the sellers.

Finding a job near you as a broker is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.