Become a risk specialist through education, experience and an eye for good business opportunities. Risk specialists analyze whether organizations are making good business decisions through the use of complicated models and statistics, so a good understanding of these subjects is needed to work in this field. A good sense of judgment, the ability to make decisions and critical thinking skills are also necessary. Many of these skills are learned during school but some are acquired through internships and on-the-job training.
A bachelor's degree in business is the minimum level of education required to become a risk specialist. Some positions, such as those in management, require a master's degree in business (MBA) or in accounting. A professional certification might be required by certain organizations to become a risk specialist, but this varies from place to place. In order to become a risk specialist, you should attempt to do well in your classes during college, as certain employers look at transcripts of grades to determine a job candidate's qualifications and motivation.
During the educational process, potential risk specialists are advised to obtain an internship in the field of risk management in order to gain experience. Since risk management is a specialized field in business, colleges and universities do not always offer programs directly in the subject. This means that on-the-job training is necessary in order to obtain a position immediately after graduation from college. Internships also provide an individual with valuable networking opportunities and provides him or her with potential references for future jobs.
If you desire to become a risk specialist, you should have certain natural aptitudes and skills. A good background in mathematics, computer science and statistics will help you to fully understand the complicated computer software used to analyze risks. Individuals who do not enjoy these subjects will have a difficult time succeeding at this job. It is possible to take an aptitude test in these areas before applying for college classes to find out if they would be a good fit for you.
Personality characteristics that are important to this job include having good attention to detail and the ability to make judgments both quickly and accurately. Some of this comes through practice, but some of it comes from being naturally organized and decisive. Critical thinking skills, or the ability to look at a situation holistically, can also be developed over time and are important when evaluating a company from a risk perspective.
