I’m a 9 years veteran in Software Sales (and tech savy too), Business Development, Strategic Planning, Forecasting and Budgeting, Sales Promotion, Branding and Channel Sales Management; worked in a start-up (at 24, led the new business unit to set-up its operations) and Large American MNC (6 years). I have a good knowledge in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and Debt Restructuring; learnt Corporate Finance, Accounting and various Corporate Strategies on my own. Today, I’m aiming to clear all the three levels of CFA to pursue an investment career. So questions:
What are the options can I expect after completing CFA Level III from CFA Institute?
I started liking the investment field when I started learning Debt Restructuring, Private Equity (VC), Derivatives, Financial Statement Analysis, …What roles can I expect to start with?
How easy/difficult it is to switch careers?
Advice/suggestion/experiences from a veteran in the investment arena, who had switched career (from any field), would be highly appreciated.
This is a really hard industry, I would recommend you do something. It will be difficult to break in, more difficult to advance, and prior background will not get any credit in the investing world unless you are on the sales side of the house (which is lucrative but you might be bored if you are interested in restructuring work). Source: 8 years on the sell side and buy side.
Tbh, agree with the others you should invest as a hobby. No harm in doing the exams but see it as a boost for your own personal knowledge and not a career thing.
Yes, a CFA charterholder does have the ability to work in those roles, however, your chances of getting one is very slim. You can do all those things for yourself anyway, why do you want to work 100hour weeks to make some jackass richer? You seem somewhat successful in your career already, if I were you I would see the CFA program as a learning experience, not a golden ticket to a new job. I would use it to learn about investing and start my own portfolio, grow it and maybe think about doing some of things you listed, investing in other peoples businesses for a return.
I’m guessing you’re 31. You don’t seem like you’re registered for CFA 1 this June. So you’ll be 33/34 by the time you’re done (fastest). Assume you don’t have relevant charterholder experience, you change jobs today and work an extra year to make 4 years - you’ll be 34/35. Assume no MBA enrolment either. It also sounds like you’re leaning towards moving to the USA to make this happen…
Stranger things have happened, but if you’re relying on passing 3/3 CFA and using it as your trump card to make it into the business you have another thing coming.
Here is the summary of the thread in no uncertain terms. Do NOT misinterpret us:
If your job/earning/living is good, do not attempt this. If you are good in sales, stay in sales.
Read the above 5 more times.
CFA + Top MBA will NOT get you what you want in the financial centres in North America.
Why would they take you over a young person just out of undergrad? Why would they sponsor you?
“Another thing coming” is a phrase to mean you will not get the result you desire. The other thing I mentioned is: you’re going to be very upset you did not follow our advice.
Harsh truth: no one is going to welcome you - sorry.reality is, CFA isn’t worth much without hands on work experience to back it up. There are a million guys out there like you, most of them younger. What do you offer that they don’t?