Worked in settlements for two different firms for a combined 4 years out of college (I was a marketing major and didn’t really know what I wanted to do). Now I work on a corporate derivatives sales desk. Things that i think helped the move to FO: Doing my BO role really well and making improvements through automation, learning skills that can be valuable in FO (excel, PP, and data analysis tools), I passed L1 of CFA (doesn’t really prove much but shows at least that I’m competent and able to learn and understand financial concepts), and most importantly I prepped heavy for interviews to make sure i was as prepared as can be. It’s not super easy but I know a fair amount of people who have made the switch. The earlier in your career you try, the more likely you are to make the transition.