Working in Finance and Banking

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Archived Q&A and Reviews

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Part-time Financial Analyst consulting?

Feb 2010

I've been a corporate financial analyst for many years now and although i kinda like it, the thought of me not spending enough quality time with my 4-year old keeps nagging me. There is just no balance when both parents have to work full time to make ends meet. I keep thinking that there might be this dream job where I could work only part-time or even from home providing some sort of consulting. However, I've never seen similar positions advertised anywhere. Am I just making it up, or such possibilities really do exist. Any advice on how I would go about searching for them? Anon

The opportunities are out there but they take some work to get. I worked for several years as a financial analyst and decided to go it alone after moving to the Bay Area. You probably can count on spending 60% or more of your time finding new gigs - that's the nature of the consulting life. There are sources for this kind of work, but the number of opportunities will depend on your experience. One that friends of mine found useful was Msquared.com. I got two of my friends good gigs off of them. I got none. I turned a number of interviews away because I was either on another engagement or the gig was not the right fit for my skill set. I found that the best source of gigs was my own network. Forget about job boards or craigslist. You will find yourself in a field of hundreds of other applicants and you will waste a lot of time. Having been on both sides of that one, it is really hit or miss. Your friends, associates and msquared are your best bets. That being said, being free lance is terrific if you have good deal flow. I have not regretted being around for my child. Of course, I am not the only source of income either. One more thing, don't forget self employment taxes. They can sting. Free Lance Financial Analyst
Hi Anon - I do not have advice to you but I see what you mean. I am also a Finance professional. I worked for many years (20) in various Finance Budegting, Analysis and Accounting jobs. At some point, I stopped working so that I could be home with my two girls. I have been home for 6 years. My younger child is in K and will be in 1st grade in August. I would love to go back to work on a part time basis but can not find any jobs that are part time. Would your company be open to job sharing your current job? If so, maybe you could find someone to share your current job and you both would be part time. If you are interested in emailing me and talking about this, I would be interested. I would also be interested in job sharing. Good luck. Lisa Lisa

Career change to financial advisor?

April 2007

My husband is contemplating a career change to either being a portfolio manager or a financial advisor. Although he has quite a bit of experience in the corporate world of financial services, he has never worked in the other two areas. Does anyone have any advice, information, or tips they can share about either of these fields? What do the day-to-day job duties entail? Have you found these careers to be gratifying? What is the best way to get into these fields? What kind of money can we expect down the road? Is there anyone who might be willing to share information about your experiences? Thanks for any information you can provide! M.

I made a career change to become a financial advisor last year. I had previously spent most of my career in consumer technology marketing. So far I'm really enjoying it, but it's a lot of work and the financial rewards are pretty small for the first few years (I guess that's relative, but certainly for anyone with significant work experience and education). I've heard that 90% of advisors fail within their first 4 years. John
Hi, I am a Certified Financial Planner with my own firm in Berkeley. I am also the Chairperson for the Careers Committee of the Financial Planning Association of San Francisco (www.fpasf.org). I would highly recommend your husband join the association as a student (I think the annual rate is $100 or so). He will be able to meet many other financial advisors/planners - some with years of experience and many new students/career changers. He would also have access to the Career Department where he could find a mentor, meet other new planners for monthly roundtable discussions, find an internship or a new job.

The association has been so invaluable to me in getting solid advice from industry veterans - they are such a nice group and everyone is very willing to share their personal experiences and advice.

Being a financial planner is hugely gratifying in being able to help people become more financially stable and secure. For new planners, much of the challenge comes in finding clients when you have little or no experience. There are many different career avenues to take - working with a broker/dealer, working for an independent financial planning firm, working for a major wealth management company like Goldman Sachs, UBS or Merrill Lynch, etc. It all depends on his interests and goals. Salaries can range from commission only - $1mm+ as a top tier wealth manager. Julie

I worked as a jr. financial planner for a couple years and really enjoyed it. You might look into the financial planning certificate program offered by UC Extension. I believe that, in addition to preparing one for a career change to financial planning, the course work meets the education requirements to sit for the CFP exam, which is a respected credential in the field. You may also wish to contact the Financial Planning Association for more information. Good luck! Erin