Understanding the responsibilities of a credit analyst will help you decide if this is an occupation you should pursue. The question frequently asked by those considering working as a credit analyst is, “What does a credit analyst do?” There are other essential questions to ask as well before pursuing a career as a financial expert.

Before exploring the responsibilities of a credit analyst, it’s essential to understand what it takes to become one. A credit analyst’s primary role is analyzing and reporting on companies’ ability to repay the debt to creditors or lenders. They also monitor risk associated with potential borrowers and detect any problems that might arise in repayment. This information can then be used by lenders when deciding whether or not they want to provide funding for projects the borrower has initiated.

Credit analysts may work for a company that has been hired to analyze the creditworthiness of potential borrowers. They also may work for financial institutions or lenders who use their analysis to determine whether or not they will loan money to companies. Finally, some work as independent freelance analysts and provide their services to various companies on an as-needed basis.

When working as a credit analyst, some of the responsibilities you can expect include assessing the level of risk involved in providing credit, identifying problems with pending loans or investments, collecting data associated with certain transactions, testing financial statements for accuracy, and evaluating new investments opportunities.

Essential duties of these professionals often include:

• Maintaining records on previous transactions so they can be used as references in future decisions.
• Staying up-to-date with the most recent credit laws.
• Creating reports for management that include recommendations on upcoming loans or investments.
• Evaluate financial statements to determine if the business is stable enough to provide loans.

Now that you have a better understanding of what it takes to become a credit analyst, it’s time to look at some of the skills they need to perform their credit analyst jobs in Singapore effectively. It will take time for you to build up your analysis capabilities, but having strong English communication skills is very important from the beginning of your professional career. Other essential skills are critical thinking, analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, mathematics, and computer literacy.

It’s also beneficial if you know financial documentation, economic conditions affecting businesses, as well as solid work ethics. Skills specific to the industry include risk management and funding, financial statement auditing, and analysis.

When you’re looking at potential opportunities as a credit analyst, there is information that can be very helpful and others that need to be taken with a grain of salt. While the average credit analyst salary was $64K per year as of May 2011, according to Hired, the fact is those numbers vary widely depending on your experience level and location. A more accurate indication of what you can expect as compensation for this position is revealed through salary surveys such as those available from PayScale. They indicate it is around $56,000 annually.

Whether reducing costs, increasing revenue, or protecting assets – organizations depend on credit analysts every day by providing them with analytical reports to make informed decisions. This, in turn, helps companies grow and increase their profits while protecting assets and minimizing risk.