Wealth management is the best place to begin a career in the banking and financial services industry, a survey by specialist recruitment firm Robert Half has found.

Nearly 30 per cent of the 150 senior financial services professionals polled in Singapore thought that wealth management was the best choice, Robert Half said on Monday.

Investment banking was the next most promising option with 20 per cent of respondents recommending that as a starting point.

Asset management came in third, at 17 per cent.

"The growth of wealth management is expected to continue as Singapore positions itself as the preferred destination for the growing number of Asia's wealthy and high-net-worth investors," said Ms Stella Tang, director of Robert Half in Singapore.

She added: "Finance functions like wealth management are very people-centric, so soft skills are critical. It is not enough to have industry knowledge or technical expertise. Honing in on areas valued by employers - communication, relationship-building, and speaking another language will also provide that edge when it comes to being hired."