Advice on Finance Job Search - 23 y/o, MBA

Hey everybody. I am sure these types of post are common here but I guess everyone’s experiences are different and I would like to throw mine out there for advice.

I graduated with my BBA in Finance in May 2022. I got my MBA in Finance in May 2023. So it’s been a little over a year out of college. Right out of the gate I got a job in accounting actually. As a finance major who loves the markets in particular, I honestly never thought I’d enjoy accounting but I do.

Anyway, though I like accounting, at the end of the day I have a finance background not an accounting background and unfortunately even if I were to try and progress in the accounting sphere of things I would need my CPA which I probably can’t sit for as a finance major.

That being said, while I do enjoy the accounting job, my heart lies in finance. The markets are what I am most interested in in particular but I am open to anything finance. I am sitting for the CFA Level I exam next month so I hope I pass that.

But yeah… I just feel really stuck. I am proud of my degree but so far I just can’t seem to land anyone who is willing to take a shot with me in a finance role. I have been looking for a while and just can’t seem to get any. I won’t give up but it is honestly really defeating after a while and reading emails saying I wasn’t selected.

I am 23 so I hope that is seen as still young and hopefully room to land something here. I had a good GPA in undergrad (3.55) and grad (3.66). It’s just been tough and I feel defeated. Does anybody have advice on how I can somehow land something in finance?

Again, I am in an accounting role and the pay is decent but I just can’t see myself progressing in the accounting field without a CPA which I can’t sit for. And I just want to branch into a finance role and finally feel fulfilled in my work.

I want to build on my finance experience and get it going because at the end of the day looking at this in another light, I am in a stable relationship and she is finishing up her graduate studies in another state. Once she gets back at the end of the year I definitely want to be in a finance role. I want to build a career and get our life together.

I’m 23, one year out of college, MBA in Finance, looking for advice on getting a finance role with decent pay doesn’t have to be crazy, I just want to be where I belong. If anyone has ideas for me, that would be much appreciated it because I just feel defeated at this point trying to search with no luck thus far. Thank you!