From SIE to Series 7: My journey to becoming a registered representative
Erik is a "baby" broker who's just starting their journey in the securities industry, having over a decade of combined experience in numerous industries. Erik wants to improve their career prospects and get into one of the highest-level fields that prides itself on integrity and sound business decisions.
Table of contents
I had just passed my SIE (Securities Industry Essentials) exam, and was sponsored by my firm to take the Series 7 (General Securities Representative), arguably the most important step of the licensing process to become a Registered Representative (RR).
One of the biggest challenges I faced was balancing my company-mandated program (Pass Perfect) with Achievable. Almost every RR I've interacted with dealt with the same issue with their firm, as we all picked Achievable for the same reason: their material didn't mesh with us.
Something that helped immensely with my studies was using the Pomodoro Method. There are websites and free apps that let you use the "25 minutes on, 5 minutes off" learning style. Highly recommended if you struggle with staying focused for extended periods of time, especially with comprehensive concepts like those found in FINRA exams.
I've been on my own for the past 6 years after moving from San Diego, CA, to Gilbert, AZ, initially for a different job opportunity. I knew that no one was coming to save me; my livelihood depended on passing these exams, which gave me a newfound level of tenacity I had not experienced before.
Structured prep kept me calm on test day
On test day, I felt calm and collected, and getting a good night's sleep and a nutritious breakfast certainly helped. Reviewing Achievable's dump sheets before I went in helped reinforce the topics I wanted to write down on my scratch paper once I was in the exam room.
If I could do anything differently, I would've started with Achievable the moment I realized "I do not like and/or understand how the assigned test prep is teaching me." So many students (including myself) will try to push through with what the company gives them, believing it's "just them".
Achievable made all the difference
Achievable was instrumental in my success, as they broke down the material in such a way that Pass Perfect could not. Additionally, explanations for right and especially wrong answers in quizzes were structured in such a way that you didn't feel subpar for getting them wrong; you were told about common misconceptions and how to avoid that oversight next time.
On top of that, the team at Achievable has set itself apart as the industry standard. Anytime I had a question or concern, they would get back to me within a day, even on the weekends. A lot of companies will be very interactive before you purchase their product, but give you the bare minimum when it comes to after-purchase support. Not with Achievable. They truly care about your success, and it shows in spades.
