Career Change from Back Office

Hi,

I’m a 25-year-old who graduated from a russell group university with a masters degree in finance two years ago. I started my career at a financial data company in the mutual funds data team and am currently working in back office data at an investment bank.

Despite graduating with the highest marks in my cohort, securing a job with visa sponsorship has been quite challenging, as I’m not originally from the UK. So, I had to compromise on several aspects of my career. I’m quite unhappy with my current role and hope to pursue my original dream in finance.

I’ve been actively reaching out to people on LinkedIn and connecting with people in the buy-side division of my company, but many seem like they can’t be bothered, leaving me uncertain about my next steps - they must be busy with their lives I guess.

Although I’m open to other roles, I’ve always been interested in portfolio management and recently passed CFA Level 1 in the 90th percentile. I’ve registered for the next level as well, aware that while the CFA doesn’t guarantee any thing, it helps keep me motivated.

Despite my efforts, I’m struggling to secure interviews for entry-level positions, which is quite discouraging. I’m concerned about whether I’ll ever break into the finance field.

I would greatly appreciate any advice. Thank you!