Confused about how to get into IB

To start, I did not go to a "Target School" but instead was sort of scammed into going to a college where I got my diploma in Financial Planning. Right now, I work as a Financial Advisor at a Big 5 but this is honestly not what I wanna do in life. I honestly keep feeling like an absolute useless failure. I am still under 25 so I am thinking of doing a proper Masters Degree after saving up money for it as I don't wanna take massive student loans. I thought this is a good place for me to ask for some guidance and advice. Right now since my resume doesn't look IBfriendly, I was thinking of jumping to commercial banking as an associate, gain 2yrs of experience there and then quit to join either Queens or Western for MFin or MFin Econ(Western). Do you guys think this is an idea that makes any sort of sense and any other tips yall would throw in?

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Just don't aim for IB, at this point and all the job hopping you'll need to do with luck on your side to get into IB you're gonna be an IB analyst in your 30s (probably mid 30s). Just be satisfied with a non IB career, it's still very good. You had a less than ideal start but just make the most of it going forwards instead of resetting to analyst level for years.

 
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If you’re doing MFin, either do MFE at UToronto or MMF at McGill. Western and Queens MFin mean close to nothing for IB.

From UToronto and McGill, you can also get HPI visa to start working in the UK as well without any sponsorship.

Canadian FT IB is all nepo (openly bragged by drunk MDs/Ds in networking events and told by Assos when networking) if you didn’t enter through SA. Even for SA as a masters, they tell you we don’t take masters or your graduation date is end of internship, then they take people from your class who graduate at the same time but their aunt just happen to be in the IB department.

Start networking with folks in the US and UK. Canadian people don’t care. You might not have work permit in the US (cause TN economist explicitly says jobs like banking don’t count) but Americans are friendlier. If you impress them, you might convince a bank - but if courses are not econ heavy, it is difficult for TN visa. But you can still get a referral to the UK.

UK folks are a bit hesitant but if you can find some replies, get some advice stay in touch. 
Another thing to keep in mind, McGill program is 1 year so you gotta network and prep before landing in school. With UToronto, it’s 2 years, so you might get SA in Toronto and convert.

Otherwise, network with US/UK folks, and apply straight to the UK.

If you want IB, you gotta look outside Canada.

 

I don’t care what the acronym is, I just give facts.

I forgot Canadians have the diploma thing. If OP doesn’t even have a bachelor’s degree, then you gotta get a Bachelor’s first, then maybe start in LMM IB or SS ER and lateral gradually.

I don’t know how transferring works in Canada, lot simpler in the US.
Why do you guys even do the diploma crap?

 

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