Breaking into finance without a traditional background

I currently enjoy my job, but I am not sure if it is something I will do for the rest of my life. Because of this, I decided to continue my education in other industries. One thing I realized I could do was take the SIE exam provided by FINRA, but I had no idea where to start. I did some research on how to prepare for the exam. After my research, I decided to use Achievable to further my education in finance.

I started with very little background knowledge, but I was determined to learn more and possibly join the industry. My goal is to pass the FINRA SIE exam. With Achievable, the task went from overwhelming to something easily attainable. The $100 cost seemed like nothing compared to the possible outcomes of passing the exam.

Building a strong study plan to create structure

I am not gifted with organization, and am a stereotypical procrastinator. However, Achievable let me set a target date for my exam, and organized a perfect day-by-day study plan for me. This made all the difference. It gave me the ability to just focus on the content and to take everything day by day. The study plan immediately took away all the overwhelming pressure. When I was sick for a week, I was able to adjust the study plan to better meet my needs. Overall, the program's structure and flexibility made a huge difference in my passing the exam on the first try.

The balance between work and studying

I currently work a full-time job, so studying was an absolute grind. I decided to study for at least 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. Thankfully, the program took me through each of the 15 chapters of the book. Every chapter has mini quizzes that really help retain the material just read. I am super competitive, so my goal was to get 100% on each chapter quiz before moving on. This ultimately helped me retain the information and pass the exam.

However, about halfway through my exam preparation, I experienced severe burnout. This was by far the biggest challenge I faced. I was able to push through after a couple-day break, come back refreshed, and ready to continue learning. Ultimately, the couple of days off were incredibly helpful for refreshing, and I would advise anyone studying for this exam in a six-week period like I did to give themselves a break and a reset.

Feeling prepared for exam day

In the next three weeks, I will finish the remaining chapters of the book. The nice part about the program is that it gave me three weeks of practice exams/review after finishing the book's chapters. This helps me become uber-prepared for the exam. I must've taken upwards of fifteen practice exams between Achievable and the FINRA practice exam website. I also watched quite a few Ken Finnen videos. He was incredibly helpful in passing this exam.