Breaking in with a CFA for a college grad.

Hi guys,
I've got kind of a plan about breaking into finance and I just want to know your thoughts.

Background:
Double major in systems engineering and economics from a school like Texas, UVa, or Michigan. I'm in the Class of 2016. My GPA is 3.2.

I have accepted an offer as an Accenture Consulting Analyst (primarily technology consulting)

I'm taking the CFA level 1 exam in December and I'm considering taking the CFA Level 2 right after in June (obviously if I pass Level 1).

My goal is essentially to get into any front office finance position. I plan to ransack my network after hopefully passing the level 1 exam. At that point I'm probably going to leave off my GPA from my resume. Do you think that will be fine?

If I can pass level 1 followed by level 2, I'm going to again try networking to get a job.

I know some of this sounds presumptuous but this is kind of an ideal scenario.

Any advice or comments are welcome.

 
Best Response

keep the GPA, CFA level 2 in 6 months? (assuming you have not touched it) I would not advise doing that but if you can then cool

"....My goal is essentially to get into any front office finance position...."

okay, but try to be more specific as in S&T, IB, ER (Sellside/Buyside) or you might be put into a management trainee program or would just get an internship (but if you are okay with that then cool) or it might be held against you in terms of not having enough focus .. just ask keep on asking there are others over here who can definitely help you a lot more than I can .. good luck

if you do not know much about different roles in finance read stuff on M&I.com, read posts over here in the "popular content " //www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/what-i-learned-from-losing-12-million --- S&T //www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/ask-a-vp-in-equity-research-anything -- ER //www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/doing-a-stock-pitch --- ER check all the links

I would also suggest buying BIWS or WSP for learning relevant concepts and modelling skills

 

Thanks Qureshi, I'm pretty aware of S&T, ER, IB, and AM. My thought is that if I can cast a big enough net, then I can increase my odds of actually getting a front office job. During college I had some interviews for these positions, but I ended up not getting them.

The idea about pursuing the CFA Level 2 right after the Level 1 is hopefully to signal to employers that I'm a smart guy who's been able to pass two really difficult exams just a year out of college. It doesn't sound easy, but 6 months sounds like just enough time to study for a test so we'll see what happens.

 

"....My thought is that if I can cast a big enough net...." you can go to different firms for different roles instead of saying "I want any role at your firm" during your interview or when applying so that you do not comes across as someone lacking focus, but then you will need to prepare the reasons for each role in other words your "story" for choosing a field

with the CFA 2 things usually count either you have done it or you intend to ... very few people look at which level you are attempting, the time-frame of clearing the CFA matters when you complete it in the least possible time but even then doing the CFA gives you conceptual knowledge not exactly how the work is done .. not trying to discourage you but just trying to point out the other opinions/arguments you could comes across in an interview

as for the 6month time frame for the level 2 ... people have done it but you need to look at when they have done it, check on Linkedin, is it immediately after the undergrad degree or a few years later.... because if it is a few years later then it is quite likely that they studied the curriculum for a certain time and then gave the exams in quick succession, nothing wrong with that, it is just that having studied the curriculum prior to actually preparing for the test gives you enough time to practice for the test (which is the real step) and also that the 6month time frame for the Level 2 is quite challenging and most of the time people fail the CFA papers (Level 1 included) because they underestimate its difficulty (specifically the test)

 

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