6 Signs You Need to Update Your Finance Skills: How CPE Can Help

Written by CFI Team

Reviewed by Jeff Schmidt

Read Time 5 minutes

Stay Relevant with the Right Skills for Today’s Finance Careers

Outdated skills can cost you more than time — it can mean missed promotions, added stress, and difficulty adapting to workplace demands. Whether it’s mastering new technologies or keeping up with regulatory changes, finance professionals must continually invest in their expertise.

The good news? Continuing Professional Education (CPE) courses offer an efficient way to close skill gaps, stay compliant, and advance your career. This guide highlights six signs it’s time to update your skills and how CPE courses can help you stay ahead.

1. Struggling to Keep Up with Technology Trends

Finance is increasingly driven by technology, with tools like Power BI and AI or programming languages like Python transforming how professionals analyze data and solve problems.

If you rely on basic Excel when peers use advanced analytics tools, or terms like “machine learning” and “predictive modeling” seem foreign, it’s time to upgrade your technical skills.

What to Do: Consider CPE courses that develop your technical skills for finance. Here are a few examples from CFI:

Power Query Fundamentals: Learn to transform and automate data processes in Excel.
Data Science and Machine Learning Fundamentals: Build a strong foundation to analyze financial data and uncover actionable insights.
Python Fundamentals: Gain foundational programming skills to handle complex finance tasks.

These CPE courses ensure you remain proficient in the latest tools and technologies.

2. Staying Informed About Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

Keeping up with industry standards and compliance requirements is essential for maintaining credibility and delivering value. Some roles in finance, like accounting, banking, or capital markets, require an in-depth understanding of specific regulations. Yet many roles, such as financial analysts, can benefit from a broad understanding of compliance frameworks and compliance risk management.

What to Do: Strengthen your understanding of compliance and risk management topics, such as these CPE courses from CFI:

Introduction to Risk Management: Gain a solid understanding of the different types of risks and how they impact banks and financial institutions.
Cybersecurity and RegTech Fundamentals: Learn to protect your organization from digital threats and navigate compliance requirements confidently.
ESG Disclosure: Prepare & position ESG disclosures to meet a variety of requirements from investors, policymakers, customers, and rating agencies.

These courses provide high-level insights into industry standards and equip you to handle risk and compliance challenges confidently.

3. Limited Expertise in Specialized Finance Areas

As the finance field diversifies, specialized knowledge is becoming more critical. Whether it’s understanding sustainable finance, navigating cryptocurrency markets, or mastering commercial lending, lacking expertise in these high-demand areas can limit your career growth.

What to Do: Build niche expertise with CPE courses tailored to specialized finance topics, such as these courses from CFI:

Budgeting and Forecasting: Learn key FP&A skills like developing budgets and forecasts and performing variance analysis.
Introduction to Cryptocurrency: Explore blockchain technology and digital assets.
M&A Financial Modeling: Gain advanced financial modeling skills to analyze mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

4. Gaps in Communication, Strategy, and Leadership Skills

Today’s finance roles demand more than financial and technical expertise. Leadership, communication, and strategic thinking have become essential skills for career advancement. You might need to enhance your soft skills if you:

Struggle to explain complex financial concepts to non-finance colleagues.
Find it challenging to lead team projects or initiatives.
Feel uncomfortable presenting to senior stakeholders.
Need to improve your strategic decision-making abilities.

Today’s finance professionals must bridge the gap between technical expertise and business strategy. Your ability to communicate effectively, drive decisions, and lead teams increasingly determines your career trajectory.

What to Do: Enhance your leadership and communication skills through targeted CPE courses like these options from CFI:

Communicating & Leading with Influence: Enhance your ability to communicate and influence your manager, peers, and executives.
Having Difficult Conversations and Managing Conflict: Gain tools and strategies to have a successful conversation and work toward conflict resolution.
Leading High-Performing Teams: Understand the different challenges facing teams and what you, as a leader, can do to support them.

These courses equip you with the soft skills necessary to communicate, influence, and lead effectively.

5. Missing Out on Career Opportunities

Have you been overlooked for promotions or new roles recently? It could be because your skills no longer align with the demands of the job market. Employers value professionals who continuously invest in their growth and stay current with industry trends.

Consider these indicators that your skills might be limiting your opportunities:

Job postings in your target role emphasize tools you haven’t mastered
Colleagues with updated skills are advancing more quickly
You’re hesitant to apply for roles requiring newer technical abilities
Projects involving advanced technologies go to other team members

What to Do: Upskill with advanced CPE courses that align with your career goals. Here are some CPE course recommendations from CFI:

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Valuation Modeling: Master advanced modeling techniques to evaluate business value and support strategic decision-making.
Corporate & Business Strategy: Develop and analyze strategies that drive growth and achieve long-term objectives.
Tableau Fundamentals: Create interactive dashboards that deliver powerful insights.

These courses demonstrate your commitment to growth and position you for career advancement.

6. Feeling Overwhelmed by Workplace Changes

The finance profession is evolving rapidly, and new responsibilities may require skills you might not have yet. If you feel overwhelmed by shifting expectations or unsure how to tackle new challenges, it’s time to invest in continuing education.

Common signs of this overwhelm include:

Taking longer to complete routine analysis tasks
Needing frequent help with new software or tools
Uncertainty about current best practices
Stress when faced with unfamiliar requirements

What to Do: Address skill gaps with CPE courses that equip you to adapt to changing demands.

Scenario & Sensitivity Analysis in Excel: Ensure that you can handle quick changes and information requests with agility.
Introduction to Risk Management: Gain a solid understanding of the different types of risks and how they impact banks and financial institutions.
Leading with Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness: Learn how to create and maintain a positive work environment while managing yourself and your team.

These courses equip you with the tools needed to navigate changing job requirements with confidence.

How CFI Helps Finance Professionals Stay Current

When it’s time to update your skills, CFI’s NASBA-accredited CPE courses provide the tools you need to succeed. Designed for busy finance professionals, CFI’s platform combines convenience, practical content, and career-aligned topics.

Comprehensive Course Catalog: CFI offers CPE courses in areas like financial modeling, valuation, FP&A, risk management, Excel, and many more areas, ensuring you’re prepared for today’s challenges.
Flexible, On-Demand Learning: With self-paced courses and 24/7 access, you can learn on your schedule, whether you’re at home or on the go.
Practical Application: Courses emphasize hands-on skills and real-world scenarios, helping you apply your knowledge immediately in your role.
Verifiable CPE Certificates: Track your progress through courses and download certificates upon completion to document your learning.

Through an all-access membership, you gain unlimited access to over 400 CPE credits, empowering you to stay competitive while meeting certification requirements.

Take Control of Your Career with CPE Courses

Recognizing the signs that you need to update your finance skills is the first step toward growth. Whether it’s mastering technical capabilities, managing risk, or developing specialized expertise, CPE courses offer a comprehensive solution.

With CFI’s flexible, on-demand CPE courses, you can learn at your own pace and tailor your education to meet your career goals.

Don’t let outdated skills hold you back. Start your journey today and unlock new opportunities with CPE courses designed for busy finance professionals.

Earn Your Credits!