How to start carreer in investment banking after clearing CFA level III

Question

Hello.I am chartered Accountant with seven years of post qualification experience in finance functions. I took a career break for my baby. I am planning to restart my carreer but in Investment banking since I completed the CFA course, Can please some one guide me how can I step into this field, I have no prior working experience in the financial market/ capital market. My earlier experience was with a manufacturing MNC. Whether internship or  the jobs relating to Investment banking is best to start?  I am based out at Bangalore, I have applied for the jobs in many investment banking companies  but I am  not getting any calls. Even I have applied for CFA internship at State Street but i dint get any response.Request to please guide my way forward.Thanks.

barbtoksv · Answer

CFA L1 here, but I have some experience in post-baby careers.IMO what you're trying to do might be a little unrealistic. I don't see many people trying to break into IB after starting a family. 1. Switching careers to IB from a non-related field and 2. after maternity leave is a very very ambitious target.Bluntly speaking, I think you may find that you may not be able to compete with grads for graduate jobs.My advice is to stick to your current field (maybe move away from manufacturing to an industry closer to banking), build up your resume past the maternity break, then try IB again. But I'd look carefully at IB and consider if that's what you really want at this stage of your life.

cfachris · Answer

Agree with barbtoksv here. It's a catch 22 situation when it comes to career switching into IB. It may be hard to compete against graduates given your 7 year experience, and the best move may be to search for finance roles in a corporate (e.g. FP&A, strategy, corporate finance) and build up your experience there for a few years, before attempting to switch to IB again as an industry expert/experience hire. Long term plan really, who knows you may prefer the same role in a corporate firm rather than sell side IB for the better work life balance.