Why/How I shifted my career path from CA to FRM/CFA Program

Just after clearing 12th standard, I did the most obvious thing. I enrolled in CPT (1st level of CA program). I had no idea what I was stepping into. I had no idea that in the next 3 years I'd be facing such intense taxation/audit/law etc. I cleared the exam, as all do. Parallelly went to my college classes.

I took tuition for every IPCC subject (2nd level of CA program). I use to start my day at 5 am for my college which use to end with the last tuition of the day at 9 pm. This went for 6 months.

I appeared for my examination, I failed miserably. Confidence got shattered into millions of pieces. MBA was then, no more my dream.

Then came a point when I did not do the obvious thing (curse my luck and blame the CA Institute), I took a piece of paper and analyzed.

I wrote down the names of each subject and pointed out all the mistakes I committed. I called it "Sach ka saamna" (the moment of truth) because we tend to lie in such cases.

The stage was set for a 2nd attempt. I worked harder this time, not repeating my mistakes. Cleared both the groups with exemption in 4 of 7 papers.

Now it was time for articleship.

I started my SFM (Strategic Financial Management, one of CA Final subjects) tuition as well. For some reason, I don't want to describe 1st few months at work, you people would know it well. As on one side, my interest in FINANCE was exponentially increasing, on the other side, the number of vouchers on my desk was increasing. At a point, I felt like a number matching robot. Every day when I was about to reach office in the morning, my heart uses to resist like anything, but mind kept my legs walking. I was certain that this is not what I'd want to do even in the near future.

One fine evening, I saw this video of Steve jobs speaking in a convocation ceremony. That was the day I finally took my decision that I'll do what I love to do. I won't compromise. If Audit and Taxation don't excite me and is not made for me, it's okay, I'll find what is.

The way Sanjay Saraf sir explained concepts, it touched the heart and went into the mind. He was the one to have influenced me to opt for core finance. The decision was big, leaving Articleship and enrolling for CFA Program/FRM. The best part was that my parents supported my decision despite investing lakhs in my tuition for CPT & IPCC.

I enrolled for CFA Program.

Having Sanjay Saraf sir by my side, I was pretty confident about clearing my exams. Hands down, he is "God of FINANCE". I actually started loving what I studied. I had a smile on my face, reading the difficult concepts, compared to strained eyebrows while studying IPCC law and audit.

Appeared for

CFA Level 1 exam - June'16

FRM Part 1 exam - Nov'16

CFA Level 2 exam - June'17

FRM part 2 exam - Nov'17

CFA Level 3 exam - June'18

During this awesome phase of studying Finance, I did not take any CA final tuition which was a clear fact that I mentally dropped CA. Still, my parents suggested me to appear for at least one attempt but I really don't feel that after this exposure to finance, I'd study Law and Audit again. I realized that this is not my thing, I'm just not made to understand Tax, mug up law & audit. It was not my calling.

You just need a few moments when you courageously take the decision of switching your career path (with relevant reasons) and you need a little support from your family.

DO NOT COMPROMISE no matter what.

You'd spend more than half of your life working, better make it something you like/love rather than something you compromise with.