Whether you’ve studied Mathematics, Biology, Statistics or Engineering, the versatility of a numerical degree makes it a coveted attribute across a range of industries and roles. The subjects themselves are not only intellectually stimulating, but they also bear testament to your analytical ability and problem solving skills. This is not to mention the increasingly wide-spread option to choose commercially-focused modules which complement your theoretical knowledge.
Traditionally, the top choices for analytical graduates were in financial services, IT or engineering sectors. But if you love solving puzzles, finding patterns, working with data and numbers, there’s now a much bigger range of careers available for you to explore. Here are a few to consider:
Business Analyst
No matter what type of company or industry you’re in, this role will allow you to continue to sharpening your analytical skills, while developing a detailed knowledge of the business. It’s a balanced blend of problem solving, stakeholder engagement and commercial thinking!
Strategy/Management Consultant
Much like in the Business Analyst role, a Consultant will have their hands full analyzing and interpreting data. The focal point will be coming up with inventive solutions and communicating with their client in order to have an in-depth understanding of their needs or issues. Rather than focusing on a single company, you’ll have exposure to a range of clients, problems and industries with lots of opportunity to work with different teams. But, if you’re especially passionate about FMCG, life sciences or technology for example, you could join a consultancy with a focus in one of those areas! It’s a challenging career path which will ensure you’re constantly learning, making it a highly sought after option.
Marketing
With technology affecting the majority of industries nowadays, it’s no wonder that even creative roles are developing an analytical edge. Marketing campaigns, content creation, branding and even events or conferences are all informed by consumer data. Most creative initiatives are insight-based and backed by teams or individuals with the ability to interpret data and identify trends and patterns. To top this off, the majority of brands need to develop an online presence, so the digital aspect of marketing is one that draws many graduates from numerical or technical backgrounds.
Finance
Although one of the more obvious routes, finance still remains a top choice for analytical graduates. This is largely due to the huge variety of available opportunities, as well as the fast-paced and intellectually stimulating work. Within the industry, you can lend your skills to corporate finance or investment banking, become an underwriter, a trader, a portfolio manager, or you can aim for the incredibly coveted Private Equity or Venture Capital roles! Excitingly, even though analytical ability is a prerequisite if you want to work in finance.
Start-up roles
If you’re looking to be part of a small, nimble team where you can take on responsibility and get stuck in from day one, a start-up environment could be the right fit for you. The roles can vary in terms of their core focus, but sharp analytics and ingenious problem solving are highly valued here. If you are technologically inclined, there may be even more scope to round out your experience by getting involved in areas including user experience and website or app design.
In-house/Industry roles
Early on in your career you may already have an idea of exactly what industry you want to spend the next few years in. This means you can spend more time developing a deep understanding of it and becoming a real expert in the field that you love. The retail industry in particular offers a wealth of roles that rest on an analytical foundation; Brand Specialist, Commercial Analyst, Strategy Advisor, Customer Insights Manager or Supply Chain Merchandiser are all options. Graduate schemes are no different, with new streams being created for the numerically/tech-savvy, allowing you to hone in on finance, technology, e-commerce, data, customer experience and more.
So, with industries changing and new opportunities for the analytical skill-set becoming available, it’s no longer all about finance and engineering for your numerical degree.
Explore some of our current opportunities for your quantitative skills HERE
Our range of roles is always being refreshed with new permanent and project jobs added each week.
