6-Month Roadmap for Finance Roles (January–June 2025)
January 2025: Foundation Building
Goal: Build a strong foundation with an updated resume, enhanced LinkedIn profile,
and a clear list of target companies and roles.
Action Plan:
1. Refine Resume and LinkedIn (Deadline: January 10, 2025):
○ Resume:
■ Use the headline: “Aspiring Financial Analyst | MBA (Finance) | CFA
Level I Candidate | NISM Certified.”
■ Highlight certifications: CFA Level I (Nov 2025), NISM Equity
Derivatives, SEBI Investor Certification.
■ Add academic projects: For example, "Developed a valuation model
for an FMCG firm during MBA coursework."
○ LinkedIn:
■ Update headline: “CFA Level I Candidate | MBA in Finance | Skilled
in Financial Modeling and Equity Research.”
■ Add key skills: Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, Advanced
Excel, Portfolio Management, Equity Research.
■ Connect with 50 professionals in finance roles, starting with
alumni from FMS Udaipur.
2. Target Companies and Roles (Deadline: January 15, 2025):
○ Create a list of 20 finance companies to target. Examples:
■ Banks: ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank.
■ Brokerage/Research Firms: Edelweiss, Anand Rathi, JM Financial,
Motilal Oswal.
■ Asset Management Companies (AMCs): SBI Mutual Fund, ICICI
Prudential AMC, HDFC AMC.
○ Roles: Financial Analyst, Equity Research Analyst, Portfolio Management
Associate, Finance Trainee.
3. Start Upskilling (Start: January 10, 2025):
○ Enroll in Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) by CFI.
○ Target: Complete 2 modules per week to finish by February end.
4. Networking (Start: January 15, 2025):
○ Send 10 LinkedIn connection requests/week to finance professionals.
○ Message example:
“Hi [Name], I’m Kalpit, an MBA (Finance) student and CFA Level I
candidate. I’m keen on pursuing a career in financial analysis and would
love to connect and learn from your experience at [Company].”
February 2025: Certification and Skill Development
Goal: Complete a financial modeling certification and gain proficiency in financial tools
like Excel and Power BI.
Action Plan:
1. Complete Financial Modeling Certification (Deadline: February 28, 2025):
○ Dedicate 1 hour/day to completing the FMVA course.
○ Deliverable: Create a financial model for Reliance Industries (publicly
available financial data).
○ Example: Build a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model and analyze
valuation.
2. Excel for Finance (Start: February 1, 2025):
○ Enroll in Excel Skills for Business Specialization on Coursera.
○ Commit to 5 hours/week to finish by the end of February.
○ Deliverable: Create a financial dashboard summarizing income statements
and balance sheets.
3. Networking on LinkedIn:
○ Reach out to 10 professionals/week from your target companies.
○ Ask for advice or insights on finance careers. Example:
“Hi [Name], I’m exploring finance roles and admire your work at
[Company]. Could you share some advice on breaking into financial
analysis as a fresher?”
4. Mock Projects:
○ Start working on a stock analysis project:
■ Pick 3 companies (e.g., HDFC Bank, Tata Steel, Infosys).
■ Analyze key financial metrics: PE ratio, ROE, Net Profit Margin.
■ Deliverable: Prepare a 2-page report summarizing your findings.
March 2025: Job Applications and Mock Interviews
Goal: Start applying for jobs while preparing for interviews with mock projects and
case studies.
Action Plan:
1. Apply for Finance Roles (Start: March 1, 2025):
○ Apply to 5 companies/week using platforms like LinkedIn, Naukri.com,
and company websites.
○ Focus on roles like Financial Analyst, Equity Research Associate,
Finance Trainee.
○ Tailor your resume for each role by emphasizing financial modeling,
equity research, and certifications.
2. Prepare for Technical Interviews:
○ Revise core concepts:
■ Valuation techniques (DCF, Comparable Company Analysis).
■ Ratio analysis and interpretation.
■ Financial statement analysis.
○ Use Glassdoor to find sample questions for companies like ICICI,
Edelweiss, and HDFC.
3. Mock Projects (Portfolio Building) (Deadline: March 20, 2025):
○ Create a portfolio analysis project:
■ Use historical stock data for TCS and Infosys.
■ Analyze returns, risk, and portfolio diversification using Excel.
○ Deliverable: A detailed 2-page PDF report.
4. Mock Interviews:
○ Schedule 2 mock interviews/week with peers or mentors.
○ Practice explaining your stock analysis and financial models during the
interview.
April 2025: Internships and Advanced Applications
Goal: Gain real-world experience through internships and refine your skills with
advanced projects.
Action Plan:
1. Apply for Short-Term Internships (Start: April 1, 2025):
○ Search on Internshala, LinkedIn, and Naukri.com for internships in
equity research or financial analysis.
○ Examples: Edelweiss, JM Financial, or boutique firms.
○ Apply to 5 internships/week.
2. Work on Advanced Projects:
○ Equity Research Report:
■ Pick an underperforming stock and analyze its potential using
fundamental and technical analysis.
■ Deliverable: A 3-page detailed equity research report with buy/sell
recommendations.
○ Portfolio Optimization:
■ Use Excel to create a mock portfolio optimization project.
■ Example: Use Sharpe Ratio to identify the best risk-return tradeoff.
3. Networking Follow-Up:
○ Follow up with LinkedIn connections. Ask about referrals for finance roles
in their organizations.
May 2025: Final Interview Preparation
Goal: Prepare for active interviews and increase your chances of converting offers.
Action Plan:
1. Active Interview Preparation:
○ Focus on the following topics:
■ DCF and Comparable Company Analysis.
■ Financial statement interpretation.
■ Market trends (e.g., recent IPOs, macroeconomic developments).
○ Practice explaining your mock projects during technical rounds.
2. Apply to Remaining Companies:
○ Apply to 15 more companies (smaller firms and startups that are open to
freshers).
June 2025: Secure Job Offer
Goal: Convert interviews into offers and onboard successfully.
Action Plan:
1. Finalize and Negotiate Offers:
○ Compare roles based on growth potential, learning opportunities, and
salary.
○ Negotiate respectfully using your certifications (CFA Level I, FMVA) and
portfolio projects.
2. Prepare for Onboarding:
○ Research company culture and create a 90-day plan to make a strong first
impression.
Measurable Targets for Each Month:
Month Key Deliverables
January Resume updated, LinkedIn optimized, FMVA started.
Februar FMVA and Excel certification completed, mock projects
y started.
March Job applications (20 total), portfolio projects completed.
April Internship applications, advanced financial projects
completed.
May Active interviews, 15 additional job applications.
June Job offer secured, onboarding preparation.
This roadmap will prepare you for finance roles and help you secure a good job by June
2025.
