yeah, it was a brutal pass year. I think I just scraped by judging by my marks. Not much as of yet, hoping to get moved to another office (hopefully in US or Europe)with my current company, work there for a bit, make some connections, then bail. I mean, I’m still young having just turned 22. all the same, I want to start earning this work exp!
In bed usually by 12:30-1:00AM and wake up by 6:30 AM Sleep is for the weak
Sounds like a good plan, Hali. You’re right, at 22 you have tons of time, be diligent, make the right decisions. Congrats on getting Level II done!
24 – Usually in bed around 11:30 or so and up by 5:30 (4:45 or so if I’m motivated enough to work out). Even that catches up to me by the end of the week and I usually end up sleeping in on the weekends. 2 Years ago, I’d go strong on that kind of sleep during the week. Everyone always says it gets tougher as you get older, and I doubted it. Now I’m not even that much older and I know its true.
you’re 24 FIanalyst??
thanks turkish. I’ve been spending alot of time just trying to get a good market foundation, reading WSJ etc. My LIII books are on the way, and I plan on hitting them hard almost right away!
I heard JoeyD is like Davinci…never sleeps for more than 15 mins at a time. Rumor has it, the last time he slept for more than 1 hr in a single session was back in 79…and thats only cause he unknowingly spilled robotussin in his kool-aid.
25 - go to sleep b/t 10:30 and 11:00. Wake up at 6:15, work for 12-14 hours and then do it all again the next day…
27 - in bed btwn 10-12 and up anywhere from 7-8:15 depending on the construction going on across the street from me. i walk to work in < 10 minutes. i don’t understand how anyone in this business voluntarily has a commute that’s longer than 30 minutes in this biz
nolabird032 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > you’re 24 FIanalyst?? I am sure I will regret answering this, but yes. And I actually had to do the math in my head to figure out that I’m 24…I think.
i guess i assumed you were older. are you an analyst or an associate?
Analyst. And I don’t know if I should be flattered or scared that you realize that I look like I’m 40 after the last few months…
FIAnalyst, I’m sure he just meant that you were “wise beyond your years”
stalking isnt my thing and i have no idea what you look like. i just thought the min age for an analyst was around 26 or so (enough time to get a couple yrs experience, go back to school etc)
Eh, let me rephrase my answer: I am in an ANALYST program at a large investment bank.
Turkish Wrote: >quit my job, took the summer off to golf and re-charge. Yes,thats the spirit: As i have said before golf takes precedence over CFA,jobs,friends, family and sex-not necessarily in that order- And of course this comes from a very well respected member of the forum!
Age 33. Work fulltime, family (2 kids, 10 and 18mos), currently working on my undergrad degree, and writing CFA Lvl 1 Exam in Dec…sleep? What’s that? Usually fallout about 11:30 - midnight…up every morning at 4:15 am. Have learned to function on little sleep, but it catches up to me about every 2-3 weeks, these days. I am not sure how much longer I can keep this pace up, to be honest…but what are my choices if I want to make a serious career shift into the field of Finance? I used to regret not going to college right out of high school…but fighting those regrets internally uses up more energy than I have anymore. So instead, I am now moving ahead. I had gone into the army after high school with the intention of going to college afterwards…oops, got girlfriend pregnant (wife) after finishing up in the service, and needed to make quick $$$ to set up some stability for my family. Unfortunately/fortunately I wasn’t born with a silver spoon feeding me but rather more like a cheap plastic one…so, yep, I went into the dreaded field of construction. Not exactly what I had planned. I have ended up doing relatively well with some hard work in real estate investment and a couple side businesses all the while maintaining full time work over the past 8-10 years and have now decided to get myself back on track for the field I had always envisioned myself going into to begin with…finance. Backwards eh? I think so, but what really were/are my choices (asking myself)…? That’s life. I took the path that (oddly enough), I created for myself. Sorry for rambling off on a tangent about my life story, but…? Hmm…must just be a side effect from the lack of sleep. Cheers!
“Turkish Wrote: >quit my job, took the summer off to golf and re-charge. Yes,thats the spirit: As i have said before golf takes precedence over CFA,jobs,friends, family and sex-not necessarily in that order- And of course this comes from a very well respected member of the forum!” I’m with you…well except for the sex thing, unless it’s with one’s wife, then obviously golf wins.
grizzums Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Age 33. Work fulltime, family (2 kids, 10 and > 18mos), currently working on my undergrad degree, > and writing CFA Lvl 1 Exam in Dec…sleep? > What’s that? > > Usually fallout about 11:30 - midnight…up every > morning at 4:15 am. Have learned to function on > little sleep, but it catches up to me about every > 2-3 weeks, these days. I am not sure how much > longer I can keep this pace up, to be > honest…but what are my choices if I want to > make a serious career shift into the field of > Finance? > > I used to regret not going to college right out of > high school…but fighting those regrets > internally uses up more energy than I have > anymore. So instead, I am now moving ahead. > > I had gone into the army after high school with > the intention of going to college > afterwards…oops, got girlfriend pregnant > (wife) after finishing up in the service, and > needed to make quick $$$ to set up some stability > for my family. Unfortunately/fortunately I wasn’t > born with a silver spoon feeding me but rather > more like a cheap plastic one…so, yep, I went > into the dreaded field of construction. Not > exactly what I had planned. I have ended up doing > relatively well with some hard work in real estate > investment and a couple side businesses all the > while maintaining full time work over the past > 8-10 years and have now decided to get myself back > on track for the field I had always envisioned > myself going into to begin with…finance. > > Backwards eh? I think so, but what really > were/are my choices (asking myself)…? That’s > life. I took the path that (oddly enough), I > created for myself. > > Sorry for rambling off on a tangent about my life > story, but…? Hmm…must just be a side > effect from the lack of sleep. > > Cheers! As someone who may be in your position, why did you decide to pursue your undergrad now?
SomewhatDamaged Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > As someone who may be in your position, why did > you decide to pursue your undergrad now? That’s a good question…and one that I have thought a lot about. I’ll skip to the bottom line…“the competitive landscape” within the industry as far as employment goes. I was of the opinion for a good deal of time that after passing all (3) levels of the exam, I would have the necessary credentials (on paper) to at least display my working knowledge, of this aspect (research analysis), to the financial industry. I have always been of the opinion that it is the “intangibles” of my persona, my work ethic and my experience in life that would win me an opportunity in the field. My thinking has been along the lines of…“If I can just get my foot in the door to speak with the right person, I would win them over…face to face.” I have been a self studier in the market for the last few years and in addition to the rest of my crazy workload, I have been successful in the market as an (options) index trader. I know my confidence (which isn’t a matter of being “over” so)…and I know people. I’ve been around the block and I’m no idiot, but also no genius. I am quite comfortable in the same room, participating in conversations and perhaps debates with differering opinions backed up by sound basis with the so-called elitists that carry impressive resumes from prestigious institutions. That does not phase me in the least. I am not knocking these individuals either…as I have immense respect for those resumes and those accomplishments. I feel I may be judged more by the elite than I judge them…and that’s fine…but that could also just be an inaccurate perception on my part. The thing I kept coming back to was simple…“the foot in the door”. And the question…“Why would an institution give myself an opportunity for an interview after they compare a resume of mine with a resume of a 25 year old college grad who has passed the CFA?” I’ve continuously had trouble answering this question. I am not ignorant…imho, an industry such as finance puts a significant amount of weight into that cherished (by the elite) and golden resume and what it entails. I do believe that their are some within the indutry that pride themselves on finding talent in unusual places with unusual backgrounds, but those are in the minority. The simultaneous work towards my undergraduate degree and CFA Charter is to increase my odds, simple as that. I am trying to give myself the best chance possible. Do I think I NEED that degree? No, but it can’t hurt and realistically WILL help get that door opened, imho. That is just the conclusion I have come to. It’s about the odds. It’s about the risk. The risk involved in taking all this time to, and effort to, accomplish the CFA and then the possibility of not reaping the reward…at my age, without that degree. I like my risk/ reward assessment better with both the CFA and the undergrad degree, no matter how difficult that is for me. I’ve busted my arse my entire life in whatever I do…why skimp out now? I will ALWAYS refuse to use “I’m too tired” as an excuse for anything. As a matter of fact…I will make NO excuses…period. Sheer, hardcore determination wins every race…and I WILL win, somehow, someway…and a win for me is clearly defined in my financial journal. I wish you the best!