5 Investment Jobs Explained (and what they pay)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 21 ноя 2024
- The first 100 people to go to www.blinkist.c... will get unlimited access for 1 week to try out Blinkist. You'll also get 25% off if you want the full membership.
Correction: CFP stands for Certified Financial Planner, not Chartered.
It can be confusing trying to understand the jobs that exist within the world of investments, so today I wanted to cover 5 common positions and discuss the tasks they entail, their pros and cons, and the average salary for those working in those positions.
Jobs Discussed: Investment Bankers, Analysts, Traders, Advisors, and Portfolio Managers
If you'd like to support the channel, you can do so at Patreon.com/ThePlainBagel :)
Intro/Outro Music: www.bensound.c...
DISCLAIMER:
This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution. Richard Coffin is not registered to provide investment advice and as such does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers.
Happy Friday everyone! If you've worked in the field, what has your experience been? And if you're looking to enter the industry, where are you aiming to end up? Let me know down below :)
Investment banking analyst who's had a little over a year of experience. I can definitely say the work load part was spot on, considering I'm writing this from my office on a Saturday afternoon. The pay mentioned is usually standard for base salary, especially at a bulge bracket, but with bonus can put you in the 110k-130k range. Additionally, I would characterize us as a financial advisor for whomever we are working with. Before we get into whether or not exiting is the best option, we really dive deep into the company to see if alternatives might be better (such as a dividend recap). Good video as always! Similar to mine in a way :)
I'm 16 and just starting trying my hand at investment by myself your videos are so helpful, it is so easy to make poor decisions when investing! I would love to see some plain bagel merch.
I thought I wanted to enter the financial services industry, but day one of school made it extremely clear that the club is invite only. Unless you want to be a permanent intern, make a legacy friend of the company. No referral, no entry.
P.S.- you don’t have the IQ to work in finance. Try something with fewer moving parts. You’ll be happier.
I have internshiped in Equity and Fixed Income Research and know I am looking for a job in either research, IB or PE. Would the CFA (level 1) help me stand out from other candidates? What do you recommend?
@@mauriciof2252 My own opinion is that the CFA, even just level 1, will help anyone pursuing an analyst role. It's pretty well-respected and some places won't consider applicants unless they have it. That's been my experience - writing even just the first step can take you a long way.
You left out the get rich quick guru, the best paying investment job there is
Lol
@@benchoflemons398 he liked it the day i commented
🤣🤣
This is legit one of the best finance channels out there.
@@Nihlstorp Do you feel cool now lol? You got to say the N-Word lol. Highlight of 2021 perhaps ?
I just dont like you people.
@@Nihlstorp Lol, hey i cant change your mind on that lol.
@@mikeberb Hey man, I hope that guy didn’t affect you too much. Don’t worry about it, there’ll always be people like that in this world.
@@retropetroleum It's all good . Can't get worked up over internet trolls. Says more about them than anything. thanks for the kind words though.
Financial dream job: Warren Buffet.
First reply lool
when vacancies starting? will think to apply
this channel is so underrated
Bc he doesn’t put attractive title. Should put ex-Goldman Sachs employer tell u ...(or any other the bank name
Jason Moy well, you don’t wanna sound like a sellout like tech lead is r smth
rain Alaska its okay youre a fucking nazi
Thank you so much for this video. I am a freshman majoring in Finance and this really helped organize my outlook on careers out of college.
IB may be 80k base starting salary but bonus usually doubles that to around 150-160 first year
And salaries are higher in the US. Richard is using data from Canada only.
Definitely a CFP. Working with clients and helping them create a successful financial future.
I'm watching this channel along with Ben Felix and a few others, while going on a financial self-study rampage in real estate, trading, budgeting, etc. Channels like these are great and even better when you combine this with excellent life and learning habits, going to forums, reading like crazy and taking notes, writing out and drawing out your own ideas obsessively, coming up with plans vetted by peers in those fields, and the executing on a regular and consistent basis. Wash Rinse Repeat. To hell with distractions. Finance is so much fun, and this channel is fucking awesome.
Perfect mindset
Hey man, how has it been progressing for you? Would love to hear how far along you are now and if you have any advice from the progress you've made
I also would like an update.
I would like to know any information on online jobs if you don't care to give any info.
Bro, you deserve more views than Graham and MeetKevin, you are leagues above them......
i haven’t watched much of his videos but graham and meet kevin are the entry level finance you tubers because they bridge the gap between normal youtube entertainment and finance. well deserved.
IAR here with a small Investment Adviser an hour outside of Chicago in Indiana. I'm 23 with my BS in financial info sys/accounting currently enrolled in an MBA program and I'm doing 3/5 of these on a normal Tuesday. when you work for small business you take care of whatever needs done. Some days I'm helping the boss build and analyse new portfolio options and some days I clean the toilet and get coffee. Biggest tip, remember how people like their coffee, it's all about building a healthy relationship with your clients.
As an automotive sales, I could see myself transitioning to financial planner. Assisting clients to manage their money better, be less emotional about it, and offer options that best fit their needs... for a fee, of course 😉
I'd love to see a more in-depth look at a portfolio manager
Investment banker
Investment analyst
Trader
Financial Advisor
Portfolio Manager
A clarification on the first bit (IB) - the term tends to have two slightly overlapping / confusing definitions which one might run into; firstly it means the general range of businesses offered by big Investment Banks (e.g. trading, research). Secondly, 'Investment Banking' is itself one of those businesses, typically dealing with M&A and IPO -type operations; this is the sector that is both the most notorius WLB-wise and the most lucrative.
I think one thing that could be added to the list is general buy-side roles in PE / Hedge Funds: firms that directly invest in a company, set out to improve it and sell it after a couple years for major gains. As with IB, one thing that bears mentioning is that both of these fields tend to be highy elitist (the term used is so-called 'prestige finance') demanding qualifications from top unis to stand a chance at getting in.
Great video!
I am preparing for CFA and planning to become an equity research analyst
Get back to studying! You only have 6 weeks!
What happened? Did you pass?
@@turtlelover6934 I'll be giving in Nov 2021
@@pranayranka1276 good luck!
In my experience, I feel like an equity research analyst is a dying profession now that many institutional investors are focusing on trading algorithms. Also, the EU made free sell side research illegal as of 2017, meaning clients now have to pay thousands of euro's for reports that they used to get for free, also greatly reducing the need for sell side analysts. I have many friends who work in equity research (and I used to work as a sell side analyst myself from 2011-2016) and they have a really hard time with finding and holding jobs.
The fact that this channel only has 96k subscribers reflects how little interest we have in building wealth via investment :\ ~ Great content btw.
This is my first comment on RUclips. I don't really comment on RUclips videos. I just want to say thank you so much for your amazing videos. 😊
Thank you so much for these clarifications and I’m a freshman in college majoring in Finance as well and this really does help! I’m curious if you can offer any more insight to maybe hedge fund managing or any more specific information about investment banking. I wanted to add I love your videos and it’s great to see you with an awesome sponsor like Blinkist!
hey man it hard but keep with it its worth it dont change to marketing ans management
Thanks a lot man!
Your channel deserves to have a million subscribers.
Thank you for another good video!
This channel is the Financial Guide book for entry level investors and finance enthusiasts!
Keep up the good work.
I'm currently studying to be a financial advisor and this video is sure informative for me!
Best of luck! I hate financial advising because I feel as if it's more of a job to dumb down ideas and products and it just doesn't intrigue me. However, there is an old saying.......
Troy Tang good luck, every advisor I have ever spoken with are snakes.
@@ethans7917 what is that old saying
@@begley09 thats sad
Specifically the video I was looking for. Great job Thanks !!
Thank you for this video! I will graduate in some months from my finance/economics major and this helped me clear out some doubts :)
(Coming from a 20 year old investor who is currently in college working on a BBA and even had his own financial channel) There was a lot of wonderful and helpful information in this video! Some of the information I wasn't even aware of! Thank you very much for the wonderful content!😁😎🔥
First year Investment bankers as of 2021 are making 100k base and a cool 20-90k bonus. But in exchange for that they put in 100 hour weeks and nearly half of it is taken in taxes. So the post-tax hourly wage can end up being below minimum wage in some jurisdictions, depending on your bonus size and hours worked.
haha not true at all. IB and under minimum wage lol. Where do you pay 50% income taxes?
Great promo. Sincere and detailed. I watched the whole thing.
I'm only going into investment banking because I live in Toronto it's just one of those things that seem to fit perfectly
I strangely was beginning to think the different careers to pursue in the field on investment. Woke up to this being the first video on my recommended list.....
I rarely subscribe to channels but this one is going to be an exception
Thank You for this frank discussion most especially after the Video I saw recently about
Investment Analysts starting Salary being in the hundreds of thousands and being paid
Millions after a few years. As a Math Major it did pique my interest, so very happy to have heard the truth.
This certainly will help me to choose which area i want to work
(2:17) INVESTMENT BANKING - stocks/ bonds, mergers/ acquisitions, taking a company public, venture capitalism, etc. - $86k average salary
(4:07) FINANCIAL ANALYST - Analyze data & track trends to make decisions/ conclusions, can work in banks, insurance, corporations, etc. He specifically discusses Investment Analysts. - $72k average salary
(5:23) TRADER - Buy & sell stocks either for themselves, clients or a bank - $120k average salary -$40k to $200k
(6:35) FINANCIAL ADVISOR - Help individual clients invest & may also advise on taxes, estates, retirement, etc. Examples are brokers, mutual fund reps & fee only financial advisors. - more commission based - $60k average salary
(8:15) PORTFOLIO MANAGER - Construct & maintain a portfolio to meet certain objectives or parameters. Work with analysts & traders to make choices. - $87k average salary
2:15 if you want to skip the advertisment
This is the only way this channel provide you with valuable content for free, five seconds ad won't kill you
@@moelfadul "five seconds"
@@Ray-Bradbury-o5s You are so me, it is scary to realize that you subscribed to almost the same channels I subscribed to.
In university with a passion for investing but little career direction, very helpful thanksn
This video very well may have just changed my life. Thank you
Hi Bagel, just wanted to add a bit of insight on investment banking.
- It is a very entrapping field. The skillset you develop is almost entirely untransferable to any field with comparable pay. This is especially disheartening to those who want to leave the grueling hours, but don't want a 50% pay cut.
This is mainly because it focuses so heavily on spreadsheet analytics, which doesn't translate into data analysis or data scientist positions (which require coding).
Starting my job as a Financial Advisor at a large firm focusing on 401ks in the next few weeks. Started here in August and they paid for me to study for the SIE, S7, and S66. I’ll admit that sometimes the role does feel pretty sales oriented, but the advice we offer is regulated by Reg Best Interest. Still, I wish I could switch to an analyst role and snag my CFA just so I don’t have to be in sales, but the money to be made for senior Financial Consultants is huge and we have so many clients that building a book is the least of my worries.
What is your current level of education if you don’t mind me asking? And what was the interviewing process like?
Very useful. Thank you!
Hey Richard. Thank you so much for making this video. I am currently changing my career focus from engineering to finance and I was really lost as to where I can start. This video really showed me the options available in the field.
Good description of roles but salary figures are extremely low/pulled out of thin air.
Investment Banking salaries for Bulge Bracket New York banks (Including bonuses) at different levels:
Analyst 1 (fresh college graduate) - $150K
Associate 1 - $300K
VP 1 - $500K
Dir 1 - $800K
MD - Starting at $1M, going to $20M+. Median compensation $2.25M, average compensation naturally higher.
Please we need part 2 with a
Risk Manager
Asset Manager
Fund Manager
Fund administrator
Treasurer/Treasury Manager
Investment Manager
I’m 26 and have been thinking of swapping careers into the finance world. It was something I always wanted to get into. I’m great with connecting with people and love seeing people strive and that’s my downfall. You see, i would make pennies for income because if I went through as an advisor, I could not undermine my clients just for a profit like soo many advisors do.
I can’t get enough of the stock market though like so many others.
Hey. Did you end up changing?
@@tafadzwagwaze2016 I did swap careers but not finance. I ended up going into the railroad and still follow the market everyday. Overall, much happier with my line of work now.
80% of investment bankers are undergrads. There are some masters but almost no phd.
Starting salary at major banks is 110k a year. Not sure what your source was or if you excluded bonus
Other than that, pretty decent video.
His data was from glassdoor.ca, thats why it's a bit vague. Do you work in the industry? Which place/region is your data from?
what degree do they usually have?
Investment analyst compensation is much higher for Hf/PE but largely influenced by performance
@@jackal8854 You watch too much TV. IA only make more if they are at top level shops (which is 1%)..but then if we compare it to top 1% PE shops, IA make less
As an economics major with a finance minor, I want to know what all my options are, as I also own a small business but want to work in this world. Can you make videos about options for those graduating in these fields? Have enjoyed your videos for quite a while, (been a sub for a while too) keep it up they are amazing!
You, sir, are a treasure. Do you have the chance of sharing something like a syllabus for textbooks that build towards the more analytical careers?
Fuck you Elvis!!!
Great intro vid which well summarises the industry (ex sell side equity analyst)
And agree with others here - your channel has great clarity and deserves big sub #'s. I'm sure you'll quickly gain a following if you keep up the great content
I appreciate your effort . Nice explanation man.
Not all financial advisors are commission based, some are flat fee based. Or salary based if hired by a big brokerage.
Good content on this channel . Love this guy .
Another awesome video!
5:29 where the wallstreetbets boys at?
LUL
At their parents’s basement I suppose
@@yudistiraliem135 guh
He got it backwards, we buy high and sell low
@@TraderPulse even bigger guh
Great Video man!
Great video, and well articulated!
this is an amazing video! so hard to get the salaries when they vary so much
And then there is the backbone of all of this - ops/BO.
Represent
I just found your channel and I have been watching all your videos since then! Thank you so much for helping me understand more about the financial markets
Great video mate
This video subject has been needed desperately! Thank you for the info. PS, it would be good if you elaborate with more “required” testing and licensing requirements for each position.
givemetoast ...Unfortunately, there are often many ways to become "qualified" in finance/investing work. Some professions, do have a prescribed system of becoming qualified (accountants, actuaries, etc.) while other positions do not necessarily have such prescribed methods.
If you plucked 100 investment analysts (or portfolio managers) and asked their qualifications, my guess is they would range from degrees in quantitative/analytical fields (maths/stats/physics/philosophy/engineering/economics/actuarial science/comp science, etc), degrees in non-quant fields, some CFA holders, some actuaries, maybe some accountants, ....and some folks who learned on the job (back in the day) and became experts.
One issue is that some positions are not really well-defined. An example is a "risk analyst" or "risk manager". I have read many many job descriptions with those titles and few, if any of them, had required skill sets that were similar...strange, but true. I have studied collective risk theory, contingent risk theory/analysis, loss distributions, and risk analysis and management and so on....and none of the job posting for so-called "risk management" positions had anything to do with that.
Wow this is such a great help for a young guy like me who is looking to start working in the finance field, My first 2 years of highschool I wasn't doing so good so I plan on going to a community or state college and then transfering
Useful overview, good job!
You may add few words on the private banker role.
first year analyst at BBs make 100k base salary, and bonus is 75-100% of base
it would be more interesting if you could do separate vids on how to become investment analyst etc depending on where you live without having to move.
awesome video!! keep it up!!
I'm completing my batchelor's degree next year. I'm planning either to go into ACCA accounting or CFA as a fund analyst. I'm not sure which one to choose.
I've got a First Class degree in Accounting and Finance, have relevant experience, firm grounding in knowledge, and top of the line Office and presentation skills, but I still haven't even gotten an interview. It's so frustrating.
That certainly is frustrating, I'm rooting for ya, the only advice I can offer is to keep at it and try to build experience (i.e. for an analyst role analyze a company in your spare time and offer your findings to the company with your application)
Great video to explain the different roles! I think you undersold the Financial Advisor role. At least for those that work at brokerage firms I know plenty of guys who’s practices bring in mid six figure salaries. It’s a tough industry but really any avenue can be lucrative if you find something you excel in!
Love this!
Great content. 👍
thank you so much for this video
I’d like to be an investment analyst like you but I’m unsure how I could jump into the role without prior experience or without a salary cut. I think after I have enough of an income I’ll do the studies alone and join a firm which would be happy to take a much more mature individual looking for a brief career change.
Great videos!
Thanks for the video! I had a couple of questions:
a) When you say good with numbers, do you mean being able to do simple calculations relatively fast or being skilled with abstract math and study the movements of stocks like analysts do in some quantitative hedge funds?
b) If someone is a recent college graduate and is interested in applying as an investment analyst to the firm you work with, what would be the best way to get in touch?
You may or may not choose to answer the second question, of course.
To the first question, it's a bit of both but mostly the first part of just being comfortable with numbers. Since tasks sometimes need to be carried out very quickly, you need to fully understand the numbers you're dealing with and not be bogged down by simply calculations.
As for the second question, I actually work for a really small company and they only hire once in a blue moon; it would be a lot easier to apply for a larger company with more analyst positions and a more formal training process. Hope this helps!
@@ThePlainBagel Thanks!
What do you think about investment banking analyst? May you help us with videos on DCF, and other valuation techniques
Raj Singh find out what the capital asset pricing model is if you’re looking to getting started for valuation techniques.
You forgot CAIA. CAIA with a specialised MBA can be a more useful path. I did Undergrad in math / economics and Masters in Real Estate Investment then CAIA. It complements my position well in PE RE. CFA had no use for that.
I swear my phone is listening to me at all times 😨
Agreed. Even to what I'm thinking
@@asiimwejohnson7388 Logic 100
Asiimwe Johnson it knows you better than you know yourself
@@asiimwejohnson7388 lol youtube and google know what is your age
So with you college search they know you want a carreer
@@asiimwejohnson7388 Its record your movement on soical media...its called AI to get better experience and related video its understand your way of thinking and recommend you the video and ads
I'm in final year of a financial planning degree but I'm thinking of doing my honours in Investment Management as well as my level 1 and 2 CFA exams to become an Investment analyst. Apart from work experience what else do I need to be apart. I'm also thinking of doing excel, SQL and python courses. Long term goal is to work as a quant but I've put that off till my late 30s - 40s at least.
Thank you!
So much involved in the world of trading that I didnt know
Cool to have the field demystified.
My personal experience (in Oz) has been that Financial advisors tend to be just anyone and everyone. Often, they are former front desk officers in banking who, once they know a certain range of "financial products", decide that they have enough experience to advise others about what to buy.
There isn't much analysis going on here, just comparing the "best" products that would fit someone's wishes and closing the sales (i.e paperwork).
This is something that an AI algorithm can do for you, meanwhile you complete the forms online. You only need to have a goal in mind. So, I'm really wondering about the future of this profession...
Yea it sort of depends what area of financial advice you look. Robo advisors certainly threaten to take business away from the basic investment advice industries, but when it comes to tax optimization, hedging income needs and things like that, the offering of robo advisors is still pretty limited. I think we’ll see advisors sticking around for a long time yet.
@@ThePlainBagel Thanks for the information! :)
Question: Do each one of these positions REQUIRE a finance degree or is there anyway to land one of these jobs without a degree? Great content, as always! 👍🏼
Landing a job at a firm will likely require a degree of sorts. From my experience in IB, most of the people I work with have a finance, economics, or accounting degrees. That doesn't mean you CAN'T land a job without one of those, however. I have met people in my field who have a religious studies degree from Yale, for example. Having the ivy league background helps, but they are high functioning people with incredibly high intelligence. I would say if your degree is not in the three mentioned above, I would recommend Wall Street Prep and putting that on your resume. That shows to wherever you are applying that you are taking initiative and very interested in it. You won't get into a Bulge Bracket to start, but there are plenty of boutiques that like to see someone with ambition. That said, you can always go the route of being a trader if you are savvy enough and do enough research. Avoid technical analysis, as it's voodoo. But trade on news (like the 737 Max 8 news). Hope I could help!
@@HowMoneyWorks I'm interested in becoming a trader. How do I start with learning how the stock market works and what drives stock prices? Thanks.
@@97GoldDust Good question. I have kind of learned that through school studying finance. I would advise to stay away from the technical analysis folks who sell stuff just for the purpose of making money (Tim Sykes). I would start by trying to understand the financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows), as they build the core understanding of the financial situation of a company. You can learn this on an intro accounting course on Coursera or Udemy. Make sure it covers to financial statements. From there, there are a couple other things you can do. Follow an economic calendar or an earnings calendar. If you read management guidance from a 10K or 10Q (found on the SEC website), you can see how it might differ from actual earnings to determine whether or not you should buy/sell a stock. Other than that, follow the news on companies. I bought puts on Boeing following the 737 Max 8-9 issues. Also, read equity research (which is what the creator of this video does I believe). That usually comes at a price, however.
You will need a degree to get into most of these fields. Maybe you can get a job as a trader but it will be much more difficult without a degree. It doesn't need to be in finance. You can get an entry level role in finance with any degree and learn finance through your employer's training and studying for licenses such as the CFA or CFP.
@@HowMoneyWorks One thing you should also mention is understanding the business model and the strategy being implemented. Financials often tell you the health of a company but the most important thing is to know the direction the company is headed in. I have a similar story to you as I bought calls once I found out Vail was acquiring small ski resorts in the hundred million range 2 weeks before their earnings report was due. It was at about 245 and shot up to 280 when earnings came out and my calls were struck at 265 expiring a week after the earnings report. By far my best trade in my investing career.
>way of creating money by buying low and selling high
I think I found out my mistake in investing..
lol
I LIKE THE VIDEO AND CAN YOU DO ONE ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDS SUCH AS HEDGE FUND, MUTUAL FUND, AND MORE, AS WELL AS THE PAY THE COME WITH.
why the caps?
Dream job is Professional Options YOLO’er, researching trades via r/wallstreetbets!
Haha quite the aspiration, maybe one day my friend
one of us
🐂
Great content
Really good video, maybe the position of risk managament need a little space.
Please explain "churning". Is it still going on or are there modern equivalents?
Hi Richard, I came across this video while trying to understand more on the investment industry job opportunities. Reflecting back to your question about entering the investment industry, nonetheless, I want to enter the Private Equity Industry like David Rubinstein (I'm familiar with his story) but I want to know what to do to enter that field. I come from Marketing/Sales and wanted to see if there's a way to "get me feet wet" to build the foundation to enter the private equity field. Btw, thank for your video and sorry for this lengthy message. I love the function of money, however, shifted too late after years of education in another field (Marketing/Sales).
Hi I'm thinking of studying finance in college with the aim of being a financial/investment analyst, do you recommend these as a career? Thanks very much for your time
What course is good for these jobs? Econ or Finance?
not forgetting hedge fund managers who often make millions of dollars just from performance commission.
would be good if you compare the stress level at the same time, i had a friend who was an investment banker and he started to have kidney failure after 3 years in, from all the drinking and late nights
Managing a money market fund would be the job for me. Just deposit cash in various national banks and buy CDs. (Yes I know most money market funds lend cash to companies for less than 90 days to cover short-term liquidity requirements, but my fund won't be doing this).
I am only interested and passionate about really two things Investing (Stock Market) and Real Estate (Investing) i would like to buy rental property in the future and be a full time real estate investor what are some career paths i can go down that can help me get closer to that goal? I'm considering getting my real estate License to become a realtor first any advice would be appreciated.
75K/year for entry-level or average? If average, it's quite low
So I’m going to school for investment management any tips?
Is a portfolio manager the same thing as a hedge fund portfolio manager?
Sort of! A PM for a hedge fund is the decision maker regarding where the funds money is invested. A PM for an individual does the same thing, but for the clients own money
@@ThePlainBagel thank you
Would a credit analyst be within the financial analyst's field?
London is also a well known financial centre!
I am a data scientist, programmer, and ai engineer. Are there jobs in finance for me? For a while i thought about trying to be a quant but i do not have the educational background to. So i have been looking into fintech companies.
I am already happily employed but it is fun to see what is out there.
Elliott Miller ...a couple of issues need to be addressed to give a fuller answer:
1) do you know anything about investments, finance, economics?
Your data analysis, computing skills, and AI knowledge could be usefully applied if you understand the objectives/theory/constraints/practicalities of investing, but without a great deal of investment knowledge, my guess is you would likely have to start in a very very junior role or maybe a a back-office role. Typically, entry level investment analysts would need to have some level of understanding of financial economics and investing.
Some of the other positions, might give some on the job training
2) do you live in a city with large financial markets?
If not, then you will have to move to a city that does, for many of these roles.
My own background is computing/ data analysis/ quantitative skills together with analytical/risk management/investment expertise.....but my current city is bereft of analytical/investment work, so it's slim picking here.
3) Since you are currently "happily employed", then if you want to move into investment positions, I would recommend continuing with your current employment, but maybe try the CFA 1 exam....or read a similar syllabus in your spare time, to see if this would appeal to you. If you are bored by the material then why do something that does not excite you.....on the other hand if you enjoy it, then you will be armed with some financial knowledge and some doors might open?