What are the best career paths after completing the CFA exam? Should I focus on networking further or consider grad school? Can improving my skills in Python increase my chances of landing a job in asset management, trading, or investment research? How can I balance gaining employable skills and pursuing further education effectively? #CFA #careeradvice #networking #gradschool #Python #assetmanagement #investmentresearch #employableskills
FBGM
Rest, and watch the sun rise on a grateful universe. (Thanos reference)
Now you can finally play the game
If you want to do fixed income research, why not go to a ratings agency? You’d probably need a credit background first, but you could get that if you tried to land an analyst program at a commercial or corporate bank. This is very attainable with your background.
If you want to do S&T, you should network internally and build rapport with some juniors on the team. They can then toss you leads.
AM is more appropriate with your CFA background, but an MBA may be required if you truly have no relevant experience other than the CFA.
Investment consultants are either investment bankers, or financial advisors. If you’re interested in the former, you need an mba at this point. And not just any MBA. You need a good one. Even T15’s are struggling to land investment banking and management consulting positions in the current market, though.
Ultimately, if the CFA doesn’t get you any further than you are getting now, MBA reset may not be a bad option.
Fire up the grill, time to start flipping patties at Burger King until you get hired. 🍔 good luck in the best jobs market of all time!
Apply to internship maybe as well (if you can) in more relevant areas.
Product control can move in to trading. Seen it happen but quite rare
On my phone and half asleep so hope the below makes sense. It’s Tough to say without the full story, but my guess is it’s how you present your story (always work to improve this and have it nailed because it’s easy to sniff out when someone doesn’t) or you’re shooting for a difficult role to land. I was in your spot at one point and it sounds like you’re determined – 100% Keep networking and don’t lose that —> people can pickup on who is serious quickly and assuming you check all the other boxes fr a technical perspective, this is what gets you the job—>I want the smart, gritty analyst that I can rely on. You may need need to expand your desired geo presence to get the role you want. Some of these comments are alarming. If you decide to go the ratings analyst route, I think you can get a ratings analyst job, shoot for that primarily (if it interests you after you research it more in depth of course). Let the mba be your last resort/option 3 or 4. With options 1/2 being jobs that are both attainable for you and that interest you. You may need to take something a little less interesting before moving to the role that you ultimately want – I would say do this if you’ve been networking for your dream role for like 3 years. Hope this helps and feel free to pm w questions.
Might not be a likable character
Learn coding solid. You will be unstoppable from a skills perspective. Then start networking into a good PM team.
U need FRM AND PhD, so ur LinkedIn spaces can be filled
I’m in my late 20s and sitting for my L1 this fall. I just wanna say great job on knocking it out man. I wish I started earlier and your in a great position to kick ass.
I’m thinking of getting my MBA in a few years, but its gonna be hard since I plan to have a family soon and I don’t want to delay that part of my life. I’m really trying to get my cake and eat it too, and you’ve done a great job, in my opinion. Knocking out the certification and possibly grad school before you get married will be huge, since it’ll be a less of a headache. Congrats
Pick stocks, realize how little you actually know
Now that you passed L3, network, reach out to people on LinkedIn, and apply to as many analyst positions as you can. Grad school may be unnecessary if you have your CFA, unless you’re having trouble breaking in.
FYI – im a PM analyst at a well known asset manager.
you really remind of this meme:
[https://imgur.com/a/SKwEMMz](https://imgur.com/a/SKwEMMz)
Are there people at your bank that you can find on LinkedIn that have made the switch? If yes, can you email them and ask to chat? If not, maybe you can switch to bank with a better track record of internal mobility. Second, are you dead set on fixed income trading? I’ve anecdotally seen that a lot of commodity trading firms are less elitist and regularly have people earn their way from MO to FO.