Should I work in the Finance department for my first job?

I'm 22 years old, and a fresh university graduate with a degree in Business and specialization in Banking and Finance. I graduated with a upper second-class honours (the US equivalent of GPA 3.3). I was offered a job in the Finance department of an insurance company, with the usual job responsibilities of reporting, forecasting and budgeting.

I really want to pursue a career in Asset Management, but it has been difficult to secure even a job interview. Should I take on the job in the Finance department first, gain a bit of work experience and pursue CFA qualifications at the same time, and then re-apply for a job in the asset management industry after 1-2 years? Or should I still persist in my job-search for an analyst position at an asset management firm?

Would appreciate some advice on this!

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I'm finding myself in the same boat. If anyone would have any suggestions, especially if taking a Finance department job (any particular positions within Finance) that might be helpful or applicable in the AM field. I'm going to be entering a rotational Finance position within a large Insurance company after graduation, and was wondering if there were any departments that would help my case for this switch into the AM division of the company.

 
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