How to Become a Stockbroker

In the past, as long as you knew how to invest and get good returns, you didn't necessarily need a college education to be a stockbroker. But now that the field is more competitive, it's pretty much a necessity to go to college before becoming a stockbroker.

Here's how to become a stockbroker:

Earn a bachelor's degree in a related field, such as economics, finance, accounting or business management [source: My Share Trading].
Earn a postgraduate degree, such as a Master of Business Administration degree. Although not absolutely necessary, this will help you beat out the competition. [source: A Career Change]
Learn about money management and investment. Recommended reading includes William Bernstein's, "The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio," Mark Hebner's, "Index Funds: The 12-Step Program for Active Investors," and anything by John Bogle [source: Krantz].
Start an investment portfolio that you can show potential clients [source: All About Stock Market].
Get some on-the-job training. You will need to work for a brokerage firm for several months before you can take the licensing exam.
Get your general securities (GS) license by passing the General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7) Examination, given by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The Series 7 exam lasts for six hours. After passing it you'll be authorized to sell all securities and investments besides real estate, life insurance and commodities futures [source: Cussen].
Pass the 75-minute Uniform Securities Agent State Law (Series 63) Examination, given by the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA). Most states require you to pass this exam to be licensed.
Take continuing education classes to maintain your license.

There is keen competition in this field, so you'll need a great academic record, a strong resume and great interpersonal skills to get your foot in the door [source: Degree Finders].