What to do with a finance degree and no experience?

You should get an internship, craft a stellar resume, and network when you have a finance degree and no experience. Here are some details on these strategies and others you can employ when you have a finance degree with no experience:

• Get an internship

Internships can provide great opportunities for you to actually gain experience in the financial industry. They can be quite competitive, so be sure you bring your A-game when you apply.

Financial internships can also sometimes lead to permanent positions at a company after you are done with school. This is perhaps the easiest route to landing your first job in finance.

If you are fortunate enough to get an internship, treat it as if it is your first real job in finance.

• Craft a stellar resume

A well-crafted resume can help you get a job in finance. You should primarily focus on work experience that lends itself to the financial realm.

Before applying to a financial position, research the requirements of the position in terms of skills. Then try to align any of your previous work experiences with these required skills.

Be sure to include any academic achievements, awards, clubs you were involved with, your GPA (if it is high), and any volunteer work you may have done.

• Network

This was mentioned earlier but it should be expanded upon. Networking is crucial to landing you a job in finance, especially if you don't have experience. Start to build your financial network in college if you can, but always seek to expand it no matter what stage you are at.

You can utilize social media and professional career sites to expand your network. Reach out and try to gain as many contacts as you can. These people may be able to help you in securing a job or at least give you a heads-up when a position opens up at their company.

These connections can also prove valuable if you can get some of them to recommend you. Companies may disregard your lack of experience if a financial professional has vouched for you.

• Keep current with the financial industry

If you can stay on top of financial industry trends, you have the opportunity to impress potential employers or others in your financial network.

• Seek out entry-level positions

If you don't have experience, you should be seeking any entry-level roles at financial companies or institutions. You are highly unlikely to gain anything above these unless you have developed premier connections in the financial industry.

Try not to be too picky about what you apply to. At this point, any professional experience in the financial industry is of extreme value to you.