CFA as career pivot

Currently a management consultant with some experience working with asset managers in the front office operations space, among many other projects across other industries as well.

I’m looking to pivot out, upon realizing I’d rather manage money than advice businesses from an operational standpoint. Was considering MBA but realized I could potentially save time and money by starting CFA. Is this a realistic move and could I find myself in an analyst/research analyst role? Would I try to look sell-side or buy side first, and should I try to pass CFA level 1 first and then begin applying?

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Getting your charter typically takes longer. A full-time MBA is two years. If you apply now, you can be done in two years. (Spring of 2022) The average time to get the charter is around 4 years. I don't think that you can even register for the December exam any more (and even if you could, good luck passing. I breathe AM daily, and I wouldn't be able to get to a place where I'd be comfortable sitting for level 1 again in three weeks)

Figure that if you began sitting in June, and passed every exam on the first try, you'd be done in July 2022, and get your results in August 2022. A single failure would set you back by a year. (Out of maybe 40 Charterholders that I know, I am aware of exactly two who passed level 1 in December and level 2 the following June, and Levels 2 and 3 are only offered in June)

The only difference between Asset Management and Investment Research is assets. I generally see somebody I know on TV on Bloomberg/CNBC etc. once or twice a week. This sounds cool, until I remind myself that I see somebody I know on ESPN five days a week.
 

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