Thanks! And we both know the answer: take the CFA 4 times and stay at Northwestern Mutual for life.

(This is sarcasm for anyone else reading who has trouble understanding sarcasm in writing.)

Kidding of course. Thanks for all the information over the years, it has helped me significantly.

Best

Probably not because this business isn’t worth that much (my current net worth is several multiples of a fair value). If someone came along and offered a sky-high price with good terms, sure, maybe.

The main thing that might help you at this point is an MBA because you could use the degree to move into an IB Associate role if you use it correctly. But it is expensive and time-consuming, so I’m not sure I would recommend it until you’ve exhausted all other options.

If you’re already in a strategy role, probably your best bet is to keep looking for corporate development roles and see what turns up; if that does not work after multiple interviews, maybe think about something like corporate banking that uses similar skills but is less competitive and not as strict with the entrance criteria.

Other than the CFA / maybe the CPA, other certificates do not really prove much and, more importantly, they don’t give you direct access to recruiting in the way an MBA or Master’s program does (yes, we offer certificates, but only because competitors also offer them).

Would you consider selling? If so, what price would you accept?

I’ve been an accountant for several years before I joined the strategy team at a public company. I’ve been interested in moving into a direct M&A role, whether that’d be like a private equity analyst, something in corporate development, or even some type of business advisory role. Ive managed to get several interviews and have done well in them. I’ve gotten to the final round in nearly all of them but I havent won any offers. Ive asked and gotten feedback from the hiring manager and the most common feedback I get is “we really liked you, but we need someone with a stronger knowledge base on M&A transactions”. So to the effect of, we need someone with direct M&A experience.

I feel like Im in a catch 22. No one will hire in M&A because I dont have experience in M&A. I feel like I am approaching the time where my seniority makes me too old to be an analyst but not experienced enough to be considered for associate roles, especially if Im not getting analyst roles. Is there something I’m missing that could put me over the edge? Would a certificate program help show employers I am committed and have the knowledge necessary? I have a CPA, but that isnt going to get me too far.

No.

“With all that said, I would like to keep the site going, but the format and frequency are likely to change in the future.”

OK, if there is a zombie apocalypse or the entire finance industry is wiped out, maybe it does not make sense to host the site anymore. But otherwise I would keep it up as long as it generates some amount of income. But I’m not sure how useful it is, given the many copycat/competitor sites out there. People are mostly just repeating the same information over and over.

Are you going to shut down the site by any chance?
Your site is a knowledge powerhouse and it will help lot of people now and down the line as well. Even if one doesn’t get a job in the field we can use the knowledge for our personal use and other purposes as well.
Please keep it going