I know that after passing all 3 CFA exams I’ll still have to claw to get any sort of investment job, but I’m determined to do so.
I graduated from Ohio State and my only work experience is from a couple financial planning internships in college and work as a stockbroker at Scottrade. I know this would never get me any sort of job in the United States, but I’m young and don’t have a wife or kids or anything, so I’d be willing to go to any country to gain experience in some sort of investment management role. Is there anywhere in the world that would give me such an opportunity? Maybe after passing level 2? I don’t care how much it pays, I’m just looking for a way to break into the investment field.
I know there’s a lot of negativity/discouragement on these boards, but I’m really willing to do whatever it takes and you can’t tell me that passing these exams won’t open at least 1 door in the entire world for me.
I can tell you that visa regulations of other countries generally do not allow candidates with no full-time experience to work there UNLESS you’ve studied a course in that country. That’s what I did. I was pretty sure about not being able to find a decent opportunity in my home country. I found a good cheap master’s program in another country and used the 1 year guaranteed visa to get a job.
If you’re white, you might want to consider Asia. People here tend to favour “whites.” In fact, Chinese businessmen pay white actors to stand next to them at important events. Not do anything, just stand there.
Of course there are always a few basics: Take a shitty position and work your way up, network network and network, etc. What I’ve suggested is another alternative if you’ve got some savings.
Actually you may be able to get away with saying that you’re studying for the CFA Charter in a foreign country and getting a visa that way. I heard of someone doing this in the UK once their student visa had expired.
It might have been at the university. CFA has some official recognition in UK so if you’re taking a course at one of the providers, it may have helped. I doubt that they will let you enter on that pretext though.
The comment someone said about needing work experience is generally accurate. Think China requires 2 yrs full time work experience to get an official work visa. It’s diffic
My advice is to make your own opportunity. You do not need to go to such extremes. Keep reading and educating yourself. Read warren buffets annual reports and the recommended investment books and manage your own portfolio. Start a blog about investing or get aCFP and try to get a job in a bank as financial planner, it’s a start and you already have good experience. and you have to network. in fact why not stop in in your local bank and ask that financial planner how they got started? you have to start somewhere and this is the easiest way, I think, as they pretty much have to talk to you as a customer.
Hey Iteracom are you alright? You left your last post incomplete that too nine hours ago without passing on the cynicism :-p may be someone is taking out active posters one by one, first Bromion, then FrankArabia and now Iteracom… I would be careful if I was BChad…