help with career path

Water Cooler Careers
#1

I am a recent graduate with BSc Estate Management, trying to get into Financial analysis… I am currently doing a graduate internship at an investment company but i am given little or no responsibilities at all. Their excuse being i do not have the required background, please do i get the background by registering for cfa or doing a masters degree in finance. i am really interested in this field. Thank you

#2

^ You from Nigeria?

#3

yup

#4

I hear there is good money in managing money for war lords. You should look into that, just don’t bet it all on shorting Skyfleet stock and try to blow up the plane.

#5

What did they hire you for if they weren’t going to give you work? Were you hired as an investment analyst or something else?

Couple thoughts:

  1. Make sure they know you’re willing to start at the beginning…Formatting investor reporting or spot-checking…Whatever it takes to start getting the experience. Once you show you’re at least a competent individual, most people are willing to teach as long as you show you are grateful and eager to learn.

  2. Sit down with your manager or whoever else you can and ask them to talk through what the path looks like to getting the right background. If you’re in an internship now, I’d assume you’re early in your career. If your view is you’d like to work for this company, their opinion is most important – at the very least it will be a starting point.

I think the question I’d seek to answer is whether “not having the right background” means that there’s a line or two missing from your resume or if the requisite knowledge/eagerness to learn is missing from their view of you as a professional.

#6

hahaha…

#7
#8

Thanks Roberto, yea i m just starting out, when they hired me they said since i dont have the required work experience i will have to start at the beginning, and i’m okay with that. upon resumption i have been moved to a different department reason being i dont have the required background and work experience. Now i m in customer relations and business development department and bascially attend meetings and get mandates from clients, which is not where i want to be.

One of the bosses in charge of financial analysis suggested i get a masters in financial analysis and work towards getting CFA charter, so i will be taken serious as a willing professional in this field

#9

Receiving a Master’s degree will make you much more valuable to your employer. There are programs that you can attend while also pursuing your career goals. I took evening classes at Babson College to obtain my MBA. Since completing the program, I have excelled in my career. You clearly have the drive, now you need the knowledge!