You Are Important

Marc Lackritz, president of the Securities Industry Association, said in a prepared statement that “The securities industry is an economic powerhouse that continues to strengthen the U.S. economy. SIA data shows that last year alone, we raised a record $3.2 trillion of capital for American business and nearly $14 trillion over the past five, underscoring our substantial contribution to overall growth in the U.S. economy.”

Second, you’ve got a good job

Money magazine’s annual “50 Best Jobs in America” reckons “financial adviser” as number three on the list, trailing only “software engineer” and “college professor.” What’s so great about your job? Money and its partner Salary.Com, besides crunching numbers on job growth and pay, considered stress level, flexibility in work environment and hours, creativity, and ease of entry and advancement in the field. The magazine cited the hundreds of college degree programs in financial planning, the demographic opportunities presented by boomers and Gen Xers, and noted that “If you have a knack for numbers and a way with people, you can use Wall Street skills without selling your soul.”–James J. Green