To teach, what do I need?

Question

Hi guys. I need some professional advice as I know all of you are wise and making your mark in the corporate world. For starters I am an ACCA affiliate and a CFA L1 candidate. As a lot of you know i just gave the L1 exam, I have been trying to grab an internship but haven't managed to so far. One of the main reasons is that I live in this really small place where people barely know what my qualifications mean. Besides there aren't very many firms here to begin with.

Then the second problem with applying to companies in major cities is that they require a few internships which I lack again. An old teacher of mine adviced me to get into the teaching side of things because he felt that I had the potential to be a good tutor. I was reluctant initially because I didn't feel that I had the right attitude for it. But lately I feel its something I should explore.

Now against all odds I have managed to obtain an interview at a reputable institute. Now after this monologue I want to know how can a person like me with zero experience present myself favourably. Also I have always self studied for both ACCA and CFA and I have been reluctant to mention that because I feel its a handicap. So what skills do you guys think besides good English and hard work will land me this one?

Thanks a lot for putting up with me.

Sophie Macon · Answer

Hey @CFAcharterwannabe‌ - we admire your dedication and persistence on your job search.

It's definitely the right attitude. I think some work experience is better than none. So even if you didn't manage to obtain an internship, teaching (is it finance-related?) is nevertheless a good experience, which fills out your CV with something useful that you can draw on to, e.g. leadership skills, the ability to present/explain complex concepts in a straightforward way .. all useful skillsets in the real world.

It's always tough to get your first internship/work experience, but it does get better over time. I certainly don't think ACCA and CFA is a handicap at all, you just need to explain clearly what qualifications these are and what professionals have them. Go for it, and good luck!

CFAcharterwannabe · Answer

@Sophie‌ yes I forgot to mention, the institute is about teaching professional qualifications like CFA, ACCA etc and I feel that the fact that I self studied is a handicap. I think it matters where you receive your education from which is why I feel very inadequate during interviews.

Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence!