Hello Seniors,
I'm a B.Com (H) and currently working full-time with a MNC bank at a junior managerial position. I have overall experience of over 6 years various back office BPO/KPO relates roles (Fund Administration, Fund Reconciliations, etc). My job requires me to spend around 10-13 hours in office around 5 days a week.
I have in the past 6 years come across a lot of opportunities where I was told that I was ineligible because I'm not a post graduate. I want to take my career forward from here and after doing my research I have come to a conclusion that a CFA or ACCA could better my chances at securing a middle office position in a Hedge Fund/FOF firm in India & abroad.
I have been planning to prepare myself for higher studies however my current job role would not allow me to study over the weekdays. On weekdays I'm leave home at around 9am and return around 11pm. Finally I've decided to pursue further education.
Therefore I'm planning to sit for the CFA Level 1 exam this December. I also want to quit my job and enroll with a good coaching center. This way I will have enough time to prepare as I have been out of studies for about 6 years now.
Now I have a few concerns regarding this.
Q1> If quit my job now to pursue the CFA course for the next 1.5-2 years will it affect my career adversely due to discontinuity?
Q2> What are the real chances of me securing a much better job after completing this course than what I'm already doing?
Q3> As I would be out of job for about 1.5-2 years would I have to start my career from scratch again or how easy/difficult would it be to secure that dream job post completion of the CFA course?
My thanks and regards to all those who can share their advice/feedback/suggestions.
From India, Bangalore
I'm a B.Com (H) and currently working full-time with a MNC bank at a junior managerial position. I have overall experience of over 6 years various back office BPO/KPO relates roles (Fund Administration, Fund Reconciliations, etc). My job requires me to spend around 10-13 hours in office around 5 days a week.
I have in the past 6 years come across a lot of opportunities where I was told that I was ineligible because I'm not a post graduate. I want to take my career forward from here and after doing my research I have come to a conclusion that a CFA or ACCA could better my chances at securing a middle office position in a Hedge Fund/FOF firm in India & abroad.
I have been planning to prepare myself for higher studies however my current job role would not allow me to study over the weekdays. On weekdays I'm leave home at around 9am and return around 11pm. Finally I've decided to pursue further education.
Therefore I'm planning to sit for the CFA Level 1 exam this December. I also want to quit my job and enroll with a good coaching center. This way I will have enough time to prepare as I have been out of studies for about 6 years now.
Now I have a few concerns regarding this.
Q1> If quit my job now to pursue the CFA course for the next 1.5-2 years will it affect my career adversely due to discontinuity?
Q2> What are the real chances of me securing a much better job after completing this course than what I'm already doing?
Q3> As I would be out of job for about 1.5-2 years would I have to start my career from scratch again or how easy/difficult would it be to secure that dream job post completion of the CFA course?
My thanks and regards to all those who can share their advice/feedback/suggestions.
From India, Bangalore
Dear Friend,
I was just going through an article published in todays edition of "The Tribune" Chandigarh.
A 24 year old guy hailing from Patiala having done his engineering and then regular MBA from MDI Gurgaon, last was placed beyond 20Lacs with ICICI, had left his banking career in the midst to pursue for his civil services dreams. He then rigourously studied close to 13-14hours a day for year and a half to make it to the rank of 72nd in the final cut off declared few days back.
From India, Mumbai
2I was just going through an article published in todays edition of "The Tribune" Chandigarh.
A 24 year old guy hailing from Patiala having done his engineering and then regular MBA from MDI Gurgaon, last was placed beyond 20Lacs with ICICI, had left his banking career in the midst to pursue for his civil services dreams. He then rigourously studied close to 13-14hours a day for year and a half to make it to the rank of 72nd in the final cut off declared few days back.
From India, Mumbai
thanks Sir for the encouraging words..but do you think it is justifiable to leave a job for a 2 year course? Do you think the HR in the next company would accept that as a good reason that I quit my job to pursue CFA? Will they not raise this question why did I not continue my job and then prepare for CFA simultaneously?
From India, Bangalore
From India, Bangalore
not at all.. see the trends in the top B schools, candidates with good corporate exposure and seasoning is continuously increasing for eg. take into consideration institutes like ISB. HR's and good companies not only understand rather appreciates these extra efforts if somebody has put in to redimension his/her career horizon. Preparing for exams like CFA requires sticked efforts and quiet unusual go with bank's back office/operational job in hand..
From India, Mumbai
From India, Mumbai
Dear Colleague:
I am much impressed by your tenacity to pursue a higher education to qualify yourself for higher level jobs. The idea is really very good. Keep it up.
The CFA qualification offers a lot of opportunities in leading investment banks in India and abroad. No doubt about that. However, there are great challenges in completing all the three levels. I understand from some frineds of mine that even for the first level, the syllabus is very vast and that questions are objective which compound the difficulty level of the aspirant examinees.
My suggestion for you will be to try to clear at least the first level of the examination while you are on the job and take a call on leaving the job after you clear successfully the first level. In my opinion, this will be be very safe approach for you.
With every good wish:
R Sundararajan
From India, Madras
I am much impressed by your tenacity to pursue a higher education to qualify yourself for higher level jobs. The idea is really very good. Keep it up.
The CFA qualification offers a lot of opportunities in leading investment banks in India and abroad. No doubt about that. However, there are great challenges in completing all the three levels. I understand from some frineds of mine that even for the first level, the syllabus is very vast and that questions are objective which compound the difficulty level of the aspirant examinees.
My suggestion for you will be to try to clear at least the first level of the examination while you are on the job and take a call on leaving the job after you clear successfully the first level. In my opinion, this will be be very safe approach for you.
With every good wish:
R Sundararajan
From India, Madras
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