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Securities agents and investment dealers

OaSIS code 11103.01

Securities agents and investment dealers buy and sell stocks, bonds, treasury bills, mutual funds and other securities for individual investors, pension fund managers, banks, trust companies, insurance firms and other establishments.

Overview

Also known as

  • Foreign exchange trader
  • Mutual fund sales representative

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Develop long-term relationships with their clients by preparing investment strategies to help them achieve their financial goals, offering advice and information on various investments to guide them in managing their portfolios
  • Review financial periodicals, stock and bond reports, business publications and other material, and develop a network within the financial industry to gather relevant information and identify potential investments for clients
  • Carry out investment orders by buying and selling stocks, bonds, treasury bills, mutual funds and other securities for individual investors, pension fund managers or companies such as banks, trust companies and insurance firms
  • Monitor clients' investment portfolios and ensure that investment transactions are carried out according to industry regulations.

Additional information

  • Progression to related management positions is possible with experience.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers (10020)
  • Financial and investment analysts (11101)
  • Other financial officers (11109)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

1 – Business, finance and administration occupations

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

11 – Professional occupations in finance and business

Sub-major group

111 – Professional occupations in finance

Minor group

1110 – Auditors, accountants and investment professionals

Unit group

11103 – Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers

Occupational profile

11103.01 – Securities agents and investment dealers

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Selling or Influencing Others
5 - Highest Level
Analyzing Data or Information
4 - High Level
Communicating with Coworkers
4 - High Level
Developing Objectives and Strategies
4 - High Level
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance
4 - High Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
3 - Moderate amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
3 - More than 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
3 - Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
5 - All the time, or almost all the time
Standing
Duration
1 - Very little time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
1 - Very little time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
3 - Important
Frequency
3 - Once a week or more but not every day

Workplaces/employers

  • Financial securities industry
  • Investment companies
  • Stock and commodity exchanges
  • Stock brokerage firms

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Deductive Reasoning
5 - Highest Level
Numerical Ability
5 - Highest Level
Categorization Flexibility
4 - High Level
Fluency of Ideas
4 - High Level
Inductive Reasoning
4 - High Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Critical Thinking
4 - High Level
Decision Making
4 - High Level
Digital Literacy
4 - High Level
Evaluation
4 - High Level
Management of Financial Resources
4 - High Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Stress Tolerance
5 - Extremely important
Active Learning
4 - Highly important
Adaptability
4 - Highly important
Analytical Thinking
4 - Highly important
Attention to Detail
4 - Highly important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: ECS

Enterprising (E)

Enterprising occupations are characterized by the dominance of action-oriented activities to attain organizational or self-interest goals. They frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects, influencing, leading or mobilizing people, making decisions, and sometimes require risk taking and dealing with business.

Conventional (C)

Conventional occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail following sets of procedures and routines. These activities may include systematic manipulation of data, such as keeping records, filing materials, reproducing materials, organizing written and numerical data according to a prescribed plan, and operating business and data processing. They often require following a clear line of authority and usually involve working with data and details more than with ideas.

Social (S)

Social occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the interaction with others to inform, train, aid, develop, cure, or enlighten. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others, teaching, working or communicating with people.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • A bachelor's or master's degree in economics, business or other discipline is usually required.
  • A recognized financial designation may be required (CFA, CFP, CIM or others).
  • Securities sales representatives and brokers require completion of industry investment and sales training programs and completion of licensing courses such as the Canadian Securities Course and the Conduct and Practices Handbook Course offered by the Canadian Securities Institute, or acceptable alternatives such as completion of one or more levels of the CFA Program, offered by CFA Institute.
  • Specialized courses are also available for securities sales representatives and brokers who want to trade in specific investment products such as securities options and futures contracts.
  • Licensure by the provincial securities commission in the province of employment or a recognized self-regulatory organization is required for securities agents, investment dealers and brokers.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Accounting
3 - Advanced Level
Clerical
3 - Advanced Level
Client Service
3 - Advanced Level
Economics
3 - Advanced Level
Finance
3 - Advanced Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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