Career Advice & Job Prospects after Level 1

Hey everyone,

I just wrote the level 1 exam in June and am anxiously wating to get back the results like most of you.

Just to give a background, I took a 2 year college diploma in business and have been working 3 years in accounting now. I’m getting bored with it and career progression isn’t too good with only college, so I decided to start taking the CFA program and go back to school in the fall to finish an undergrad finance degree. I plan to keep on working towards the charter while I’m going to school.

My question is if I pass level 1 and start looking for equity research internships at BB (think JPM, RBC, etc.), do you think this will give me the edge over all of the undergrad kids out there since they can’t even write level 1 yet? Is there anything else I can be doing to try and get into ER or even IB in the meantime? (for Canadians out there I also completed the CSC in January)

Any help would be appreciated!

First, undergrad kids CAN take the Level 1 exam just like you.

Second, sorry. you don’t have an edge over them with internships. Their chances of a finance internship is actually better than yours.

Passing L1 on its own doesn’t really give anyone an edge. There are tons of people who have passed L1.

Thanks!

I thought you had to be in final year undergrad to write. Anyways, I’m just trying to get a 2nd or 3rd year student summer or co-op type internship cause I’m going into end of 2nd/ beginning of 3rd year. I don’t work at big 4 but they are one of the bigger firms in my area and do accounting for derivatives. I’m kind of trying to work my way backwards. Was hoping this plus working towards CFA charter would help me because most students don’t have too much experience. Good to know though, should have probably finished up instead of taking the money right away.

final year of undergrad to take level 2.