27M | Corp Finance → FP&A | Laid off & Unemployed 3 Months | Studying CFA Level 1 | Want to Pivot to IB/PE/Corp Dev/Investment Analyst — What Should I Do?

Hi everyone — I could really use some honest guidance here.

I’m a 27M based in Southern California with a bachelor’s in finance from a non-target school. My background includes:

• 2 years and 9 months in Corporate Finance at a large manufacturing company (Fortune 500)
• 7 months as a Senior Financial Analyst in FP&A at a top 10 Asset Management firm (think Capital Group, PIMCO, etc.)

Unfortunately, I was let go due to “performance issues” — nothing malicious, but I didn’t meet the expectations of my manager. This happened at the end of March, so I’ve been unemployed for 3 months (resume shows 4 months). I’ve since committed to studying full time for CFA Level 1, which I plan to take in August.

My goal is to transition into an investment firm, ideally in Private Equity, Investment Banking, Investment Analyst, or Corporate Development, and eventually work my way into a high-income role — targeting $300K+ base + bonus within the next 5 years. I know I’m aiming high, but I’m serious about the effort and long-term trajectory — I just need help figuring out the smartest way to get there.

So far, I’ve:

• Applied to hundreds of roles across PE, IB, Corp Dev, Credit, etc.
• Cold-messaged hiring managers and professionals on LinkedIn related to those roles (with tailored messages)
• Had a few final rounds, but still no offers

Now I’m at a crossroads:

• Should I stay unemployed and continue studying full time + applying to investment-side roles?
• Or should I take on contract or temp work to avoid a growing resume gap?
• If I go the contract route, what kind of roles would still keep me aligned with my long-term goals and not “dilute” my investment-focused narrative?

I’m trying to stay grounded and realistic, but I’d be lying if I said the situation isn’t starting to wear on me. I’d really appreciate any advice — whether from people who’ve made a similar pivot, hiring managers, recruiters, or anyone who's seen this path play out from either side.

TL;DR:
27M | Non-target B.S. Finance | 2y9m Corp Finance + 7m FP&A | Laid off | Unemployed 3 months
Studying CFA Level 1 (Aug) full time
Applied to hundreds of roles + cold DMs on LinkedIn
Goal: IB/PE/Corp Dev/Investment Analyst → $300K+ base + bonus within 5 years
Looking for advice: Keep job hunting while unemployed or take temp/contract work? If so, what kind?

Thank you so much & I appreciate any help. Please feel free to also provide any advice to my Resume below: