Employers

Approximately 319,900 compliance managers are employed in the United States. They are employed by state and federal agencies, banks and financial institutions, insurance companies, pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing companies, and health care organizations. Employers prefer to hire compliance managers with a bachelor's degree and prior compliance-related work experience; some companies require a master's degree for compliance manager positions.

Starting Out

Many compliance managers get their start through internships, part-time work, or entry-level positions in compliance departments of companies. College career services offices can help locate internships and job openings in companies that have internal compliance services. Compliance managers typically find jobs through postings on professional associations' Web sites, through employment Web sites such as Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com, among many others, as well as through professional groups on LinkedIn.

Compliance managers with several years of experience advance to senior management roles. They may handle larger numbers of clients and manage and oversee the work of other compliance team members. Those who work full time may leave their position to start their own consultancy, where they are responsible for growing and maintaining their client base and making sure business expenses are covered. They may write and speak about compliance issues and some may teach at colleges, universities, and professional associations.

Read trade publications such as Compliance Week (https://www.complianceweek.com) to keep up with the latest news and develops in the compliance field.

Get an internship in compliance while you are in school. Speak with your school's career services office to learn more about openings, and also search online on company's Web sites for internships and job openings.

Search for compliance job openings on the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics Job Board, at https://www.corporatecompliance.org/all-jobs.