Advice to help me out of the BO puh-lease!

You already have your MBA, can't do anything about that anymore. You're older, getting in through junior roles will be no good. You're unhappy, so you should do something else. For a sales role, CFA is not needed (that's what I think at least).

In my opinion (and that's just my opinion of course), you have to start talking to people. In your 12 years of experience, you came across many different people in different areas (including sales, which is your goal), use those contacts. Start networking and reaching out to them. Start showing interest and asking for advice. Use any contacts you made during your MBA program, some of them have to be doing something you like and may help you. Feel it out and stay persistent...that's all I got.

8-5 170k sounds sweet

Wow you truly are a Back Office Bandit. Banana for you.

Its possible just network. Do you program? I know there's a big push to automate OTC products similar to equities so maybe that's a path. I mention it because I know an Director at a BB who has no degree and tech experience and hes in a FO role.

Thanks UFO and everyone else who posted.

Here are the answers to the questions that you posted for me:

1. Why are you only now thinking about FO?

- The baby needs a new pair of shoes...!!? Im pretty sure that I'm close to max out salarywise in the BO, unless I get a C-level BO position. But, c'mon, I know the truth that it will not happen. Easier to get more moolah in a revenue generating job rather than being a cost position.

1. Why did you get an MBA and why didn't you use that to open up a FO role?

- Yeah, I Fkd up there, since that was a good exit opportunity with recruiting support at the school.

1. Have you tried networking?

- I'm working on that right now and it's looking like networking will be the only way.

1. Are you willing to take a pay cut?

- Sure

1. Are you willing to work 100+ hours a week?

- I'm not asking to do IB and don't want to be a PM, I just want to do more challenging things . ie. client facing work rather than mundane BO tasks.

1. Are you willing to work with people a decade younger than you?

- I already work with a bunch of people a decade older than me now.

1. Are you serious about FO - $170K 9-5 is a GREAT life. Why do you want out?

- See my answer to #5. I just wanted to put the feelers out there to cross check my decisions. I've always been a lurker on the forums, never a poster. I tell you at those hours and comp package, I'm not starving anytime. But it's always good for more.

1. Are you willing to do a MSF / MFIN to get you to the exact job you want?

- You mean I can't pull it off with just the CFA? Getting MSF/MFIN isn't worth the cost/tradeoff. I'm stil paying off the MBA loans. But if MSF / MFIN is the only way into something like analytics, then I pretty much have my answer.

1. Do you have a family and how will it impact your relationships if you're suddenly not around at all?

- Family, check.

1. What happens if you don't get to FO? Are you going to change industries or stay put?

- If I can't get FO role, then i'll just stick around to get my 3-5% increase a year. Hopefully be at 200k in 4-5 years. But honestly, other non-financial industries don't pay as much. That's gods honest truth.

It's hard to give advice based on the small amount of information you gave. I'm assuming you're about 35 - the switch is somewhat unusual, but totally possible if you're driven enough. You have to ask yourself HONESTLY why you're doing this now.

• mid-life crisis?