25yo Basement-Dwelling Loser: Too Late for Finance?
My background:
Econ undergrad, semi-target, sub-3.0 GPA, 1470 SAT, 720 GMAT
no work experience, unemployed, minimal financial knowledge
somewhat introverted, though friendly and likable for the most part
Due to an unexpected family crisis, I've been depressed and sitting at home for the past few years. I'm trying my best now to turn my life around by looking for entry level back office jobs or unpaid internships, and possibly enrolling in CFA Level 1 and/or MSF
Before I waste all my time and money, I just want to get some advice: Is it too late for me to break into finance? My ultimate goal is ER, but I think I'd be happy with anything finance-related at this point.
met a 27 year old a few months ago that just started as an analyst in BB IBD after having some family issues in earlier years, it's never too late
Short answer: no.
Long answer: Hell no! It's never too late to reinvent yourself. Sounds like you feel on some hard times, and that is really unfortunate, but I think you can look at this as a good thing. If you are currently unemployed, you have a lot of room to pivot.
The first thing you want to honestly ask yourself is if you are really interested in working in finance or if you just have an interest in finance. If it's the former, I say fucking go for it because you have nothing to lose. Just be sure to clearly define your goal beforehand and think about what you really want.
Start pretending you do have a job currently, which is to get a job in finance. Make yourself achieve certain goals each month, then break down by week, then by day. I would highly suggest reading as much as you can on both finance and self improvement. Must reads: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, and Mastery by Robert Greene. Also start looking around the internet for free resources to get you started on your journey to financial domination. Learn hard skills that reinforce knowledge and soft skills. A good place to start would be on Mergers and Inquisitions. They have an entirely free intro course on modeling. After you whiz through this you can also look into WSO packages to help you get a leg up on the competition.
Lastly, don't be afraid to try. So much we don't accomplish as human beings is due solely to the fear of success.
Best of luck to you!
Great book!
If you can master what is in this book a sales type role with a good firm (it need not be a BB) might be your best bet.
Hey basementdweller I'm in a similar situation as you, Undergrad at non-semi target school, 3.0 gpa, minimal relevant work experience, average financial knowledge. I know is never too late, but we're just lacking guidance and direction. My plan right now is to read, read and read. Knowledge is key, even if luck comes your way and you don't know anything then that's a chance wasted. For people in our position expect to work/hustle/network 200% harder than everyone else. Definitely don't waste time being unemployed, keep applying and keep learning. You might have a 1% chance of getting an interview, but definitely increase your chance of getting hired by knowing your stuff. I haven't made it yet so a lot of what I'm saying is pretty irrelevant to your question, but I just want you to know there's people out there just like you. Good luck!
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