Looking to change from Software Industry to Finance

Question

Hi Folks ,

Just wanted to know whether is it viable to enroll for CFA Level 1 as i am a s/w engineer with around 1 year of experience now, as my aspiratrions is to work for any good finance firm as i rate good myself in mathematics stuff and all.

just curious to know whether clearing CFA Level1 open any good job opportunities?

Thanks in advance

ayush1611 · Answer

@sophie

thanks for replying, just wanted to be more clear about the job prospects after clearing level1 , i mean just wanted to know the efficiency rate of people from non finance background that clears the L1 and then switch around their careers .

My Execution plan as of now is :-
1. to enroll for cfa L1 and try to crack it
2. after clearing level 1 finding good job where i can be paid handsomely that will keep me motivated for clearing l2 and give me experience in finance and most importantly getting me out of this shitty IT job.

Sophie Macon · Answer

Hello @ayush1611, welcome to 300HC!

As long as you have a Bachelor's degree you can enrol for the CFA exams.

For CFA Level 1 clearance, it certainly differentiates you from other applicants, but getting a role is not just that, it largely depends on your interviewing skills too, and how well you can convince a potential employer that you're perfect for the role. I'd say it helps, but there are other factors that are required for securing finance roles.

Here are a couple of useful discussion threads about engineers transitioning into finance, hope you find them useful:
What are the prospects of engineers transitioning into finance?Engineer to finance@sharmarahool is a software engineer who worked in financial services for 7 years, and would have some perspective to add