Credit adviser
Also known as: credit intermediaries, credit counsellors, credit advisors, certified credit counselor, credit intermediary, certified credit counselors
About this occupation
Credit advisers offer guidance to customers related to credit services. They assess the customer's financial situation and debt issues arisen from credit cards, medical bills and car loans in order to identify optimal credit solutions for customers and also provide debt elimination plans to adjust their finances if needed. They prepare qualitative credit analyses and decision-making material in respect of defined customers in conformity with the bank's strategy on credit policy, ensure the credit quality and follow up on the performance of the credit portfolio. Credit advisers also have expertise in debt management and credit consolidation.
Essential skills and knowledge
- consult credit score
- analyse the credit history of potential customers
- maintain client debt records
- analyse loans
- obtain financial information
- financial products
- prepare credit offers
- debt systems
- insolvency law
- maintain credit history of clients
- perform debt investigation
- credit control processes
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Credit Analysts (O*NET 13-2041.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Analyze credit data and financial statements to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money.
- Complete loan applications, including credit analyses and summaries of loan requests, and submit to loan committees for approval.
- Generate financial ratios, using computer programs, to evaluate customers' financial status.
- Prepare reports that include the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money.
- Analyze financial data, such as income growth, quality of management, and market share to determine expected profitability of loans.
- Compare liquidity, profitability, and credit histories of establishments being evaluated with those of similar establishments in the same industries and geographic locations.
- Typical education (US)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Interests
- Conventional, Enterprising, Investigative
Top skills: Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Learning, Active Listening, Mathematics
US median pay: US$83,510 a year (2025), 64,390 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Economics or AccountingO*NET: Economics and AccountingExtremely important (4.5)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (3.9)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.9)
- Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentImportant (3.3)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Loan Officers
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- Credit Counselors
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Financial Risk Specialists
- Accountants and Auditors
- Financial Examiners
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.