I'm a CPA about to be a senior (2 years experience) in big 4 audit and looking to try and break into one of the smaller PE or VC firms in my area. I'm actually working on an IPO now for a pretty large company which may help some. Going into IB is basically out of the question since there are none in my area and I'm pretty much locked into this area due to my fiance's job in the area.
I know audit to PE is a serious stretch, but I know people who have done it and that is giving me some hope that it is possible. These aren't mega funds we're talking about. These are funds with a mix of some of your HSW as well as some non-traditional (big 4 audit, Asset Management, non target undergrads).
My question for the forum is, if I were to teach myself at least the technical skills necessary by reading books, spending countless hours on damadoran and macabus, building/understanding models, would it be appropriate to list these skills in my resume if I don't have practical work experience?
I know this has been beat to death on this forum but I'm also considering taking level CFA level 1 in December, just to show a financial skillset considering I don't have work experience in finance.
My current plan, and only hope is going to be networking in, and I have found a few non profit groups (based on startups/entrepreneurship) that have a concentration of senior and lower level employees from many of the funds in the area, based on the bio's of the funds websites. I plan on being active and hopefully a committee role or something.
I also have a current "startup" (website with about $3k in NI since starting up almost a year ago), as well as another project I'm working on that I am bankrolling with the previous site, which I hope to see sales at least 50k annually. Not sure if this will come into factor at all, maybe moreso for VC. Nothing revolutionary, I just saw a market and went after it.
Any advice, monkey shit, whatever - thanks.
Does anyone have a comment on this? In general my question is if I teach myself how to do the modeling that PE firms require from IB who do it day in and day out, would it be reasonable to list on my resume, or is on the job development really key here.
I'd to the utmost to work as much finance/modeling related work into work experience or any leadership activities (for your own startups, in that upcoming committee position...). If there is really no way to get those included, list it as self-study under in the interests section. I think it's better to list it and show that you are well-aware that these skills are required. Even though self-study always screams a bit "fake skills", I'd still give that a more positive view as reviewer than no indications at all on the CV. I would only list your CFA efforts once you passed the first level.
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