Has anyone known someone to move from back office to front office with this exam ?

nd53

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I know 2 people in particular but that’s it! Anyone else know people?
 
I know tons of people in back office of investment fund managers and they are there hopes to move to the front office with mba and cfa. None of them have made it yet and a lot were dissapointed that things haven’t gone as planned. But they said they have seen it but it’s rare.
it’s all about making the right connections then asking them if you can help them on your spare time. (like a unpaid part time internship) so when an opening comes up you’ll be a candidate at least.
 
the answer is yes it can be done, but very very few make it. think like 3%.
Everyone always hear about the person who won the $600M lottery, but you don’t talk much about the losers
 
I have a couple of students who’ve done it. But they were tireless networkers and went out of their way to be useful to analysts in their spare time (both put in about an additional 10 hours/week doing additional stuff). So it’s possible, but rare.’
One of our alums started in an insurance company working in the pension administration department. He worked his butt off and made sure he was the “go-to” guy for anyone in the incvestment side that had a pension admin problem. He must have asked about opening at least once a week for 9 months. But he evenually got an interview.
Fast forward 15 years, and he now manages about a billion $$.
 
itera wrote:
the answer is yes it can be done, but very very few make it. think like 3%.
Everyone always hear about the person who won the $600M lottery, but you don’t talk much about the losers
I believe itera has some type of bell that goes off whenever such a question arises. He hits pause on COD, throws down the controller while struggling to free his corpulent body from his gamer chair. Once up, he feverishly waddles to his keyboard so he can unleash his words of doom onto the hopeful. I envision him smiling ear to ear with pizza stains all over his mouth, as he strokes away in an attempt to quell the dreams of the unsuspecting poster. Once enter is hit he has a brief moment of self reflection……..”Maybe I need a new hobby…. My whole life revolves around video games and pessimistic responses on AF……. Perhaps I’m a loser who needs to get a life.” He then shrugs his shoulders, grabs a bag of stale doritos and heads back to COD.
Look, it’s certainly possible to go from a BO to FO role (within reason). It’s foolish to put a percent on it but it is certainly higher than 3% lol. You definitely will have to network and have more going for you than just being a CFA charterholder but there’s no doubt it’s a positive for your career prospects.
 
igor555 wrote:
whats front office and back office? is there middle office?
FO = BSD, money makers
BO = the other 98% of finance, cost centers
Yes, there is a MO (usually risk dept).
 
It’s tough. Once you’re there, it’s a stigma that seems to follow you. I’ve seen it with one person - and he was young (23), had passed L1 and L2, and worked his rear end off to get noticed by the FO.
 
Causality doesn’t imply correlation.. there could be reasons unrelated to the charter that moved them from BO to FO and they happened to earn the charter at the time.
 
blackomen wrote:Causality doesn’t imply correlation.. there could be reasons unrelated to the charter that moved them from BO to FO and they happened to earn the charter at the time.
Actually … it does.
However, correlation doesn’t imply causality.
 
S2000magician wrote:
blackomen wrote:Causality doesn’t imply correlation.. there could be reasons unrelated to the charter that moved them from BO to FO and they happened to earn the charter at the time.
Actually … it does.
However, correlation doesn’t imply causality.
Haha
 
One should also think about other opportunities you get in finance, it’s not just about BO vs FO.
and don’t get stressed about getting the perfect job right after you pass the exam, you may be planting a seed now which will grow into somethign later in life.
 
NANA Hachiko wrote:
One should also think about other opportunities you get in finance, it’s not just about BO vs FO.
and don’t get stressed about getting the perfect job right after you pass the exam, you may be planting a seed now which will grow into somethign later in life.
good metaphor lol
 
tyler4040 wrote:
itera wrote:
the answer is yes it can be done, but very very few make it. think like 3%.
Everyone always hear about the person who won the $600M lottery, but you don’t talk much about the losers
I believe itera has some type of bell that goes off whenever such a question arises. He hits pause on COD, throws down the controller while struggling to free his corpulent body from his gamer chair. Once up, he feverishly waddles to his keyboard so he can unleash his words of doom onto the hopeful. I envision him smiling ear to ear with pizza stains all over his mouth, as he strokes away in an attempt to quell the dreams of the unsuspecting poster. Once enter is hit he has a brief moment of self reflection……..”Maybe I need a new hobby…. My whole life revolves around video games and pessimistic responses on AF……. Perhaps I’m a loser who needs to get a life.” He then shrugs his shoulders, grabs a bag of stale doritos and heads back to COD.
Look, it’s certainly possible to go from a BO to FO role (within reason). It’s foolish to put a percent on it but it is certainly higher than 3% lol. You definitely will have to network and have more going for you than just being a CFA charterholder but there’s no doubt it’s a positive for your career prospects.
this is hilarious bro, well done.
 
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