well, depending on how much you need the $$$ - I think you should do what you are passionate about first and foremost (which sounds like finance). I would probably take the L3 exam as you might have the possibility of landing some type of job in which you can start to accrue finance experience. You could request an alternative test date as it says on that MTA form as well.
MTA = market technician’s association?! : )
At first I thought this was a “CFA vs MBA” spoof thread…but after reading through looks like you’re serious? Good luck man, doesn’t sound like a bad gig. If you succeed and take this story to the press, they’d probably jump all over it.
Go for the train driver. After you get the job you can broadcast your investment ideas to the passengers. A lot of money managers take trains to work so you will have your chance to sell yourself.
Wow, I actually never considered the fact that some of the MTA operators were CFA Level III candidates! But, I think as joemontana said, I think the best route is to take the MTA exam now (since it won’t be offered for a while), especially since you only studied for LIII a bit, and then spend next year doing the CFA.
geez, subway operators make $26.99 an hour plus comprehensive benefits…not too shabby…much much much better than the proletarians in my socialist motherland…Marx is gonna cry! No wonder MTA’s gonna raise our monthly pass again by 30% for one of the worst and dirtiest subway system in the world
I remember seeing a PBS program that said compared to the rest of the world, NYC subway has a very high per ride subsidy…something like the price should be at least double.
Sigh! Even with such a high subsidy, they still don’t have enough money. They run a deficit when the economy is good; They run a deficit when the economy is bad, when more people will choose to ride subways…I wonder if it is time for them to quit thinking about increase revenue and fattening their own pockets, but starting thinking about CUTTING COST. Let’s start with layers of layers of management, then the unbelieveable compensation package to those operators/workers whose voice no passenger can understand. For a high school graduate to make this much reminds me of good old communist China during cultural revolution…a street vendor makes as much money as a college professor and sometimes more…so pathetic
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Actually, the raises for train operators aren’t that high. They top out at about 28.50. Thats not a lot, but it’s a living. There are no inflation raises. They take out money to pay medical and union dues. It’s a middle class job. Do you want them to make 10 dollars an hour?
dieselbp67 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think the best route is to take the MTA exam now > (since it won’t be offered for a while), > especially since you only studied for LIII a bit, > and then spend next year doing the CFA. This.
If you are weighing between the two, go for MTA. It is a bird in hand vs. two in the bush.
Of course I’m serious about this. I’m in a different situation than most of you. At least tech people who pass level 3 have IT to fall back on. I don’t. I felt a lot of accomplishment passing level 2 knowing that some finance people and actual portfolio managers fail it. It took 100% of me. Although I could have prepared better by doing more item set questions. I did only a few before the exam and wasn’t prepared fully enough. It is actually an embarrassing situation to be in to fall back on working for the MTA. I feel like that hedge fund guy who went to deliver pizzas. Oh well. I have 6 figures in my retirement account, but my career and job situation isn’t doing well. What I do for a living is a dead end job. I make less than 50k a year and I’m slowly making less and less every year. philip.platt Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > edit: I was kidding - is this a serious post? > > how did you know the MTA train exam was June 6? . > . . you are serious?
I admire the fact that you passed Level 2, CFAdummy - it is not a small accomplishment.
Also, doing a search reveals that English is not your first language either. I admire the accomplishment even more now. Wish you the best!
I was born in NYC. 
Actually, with the career path I have taken, my writing skills have deteriorated a lot 
I haven’t written a paper in 14 years.
ah, well, i guess my interpretation of a comment you made a while ago was incorrect you said to someone that you’re english wasn’t all too good either - which i interpreted that english was not your first language i usually make a lot of extrapolations when i search, that way i can get to someone’s background and views without reading all their posts this time the process failed!