Is it really that difficult to make a career switch using the CFA and PT MBA?

I don’t really think that a FT MBA is necessary. In a hypothetical situation, you graduate from college and take a random corporate job. Then you realize that you want to go for the CFA to make a move into finance and other CFA type careers. While you work, you pass CFA levels, continue to apply for new jobs, and make some job moves that gets you closer highlighting the CFA passes on your resume. If still stuck after a few years, start a PT MBA with a concentration in Finance/Accounting and continue to seek a new job especially at a boutique firm to gain investment work experience. I think most people will be able to break in at least with the CFA + PT MBA if you continually keep at it especially since the asset management industry seems to not do much on-campus recruiting anyway and will take a CFA+PT MBA person with semi-relevant work experience (this you would have after making small leaps in your work history) as needs arise.

While the hard work + dedication to CFA exams and the PT MBA sounds great and you feel like you deserve a hot shot asset mgmt job. You forget that experience trumps all. So while you’re doing all that CFA studying and PT MBA, you blew what 5-6 years doing non-finance stuff.

Experience >>>> Passing CFA exams + PT MBA.