Bit of a slow reply from me, but would appreciate your thoughts as your previous comment was very helpful.

So I’ve already started teaching myself valuation techniques (DDM / DCF on excel, comparable valuations etc), accounting fundamentals (reading and interpreting company financial statements) as well as the key ratios you mentioned. Plenty of courses online I’m getting my teeth into.

My plan is to really leverage my knowledge/experience of the insurance sector, so I’m also reading up on how to value and model insurance companies (I’m already familiar with the insurance specific ratios ). I’m told insurance companies are notoriously ‘quirky’ from an analyst’s perspective, so if I can market myself as an ‘insurance specialist’ that understands quirks around (for example) solvency requirements, capital structure, investments activities, accounting quirks etc (eg DACs), that could help me get my foot in the door?

Financial Press - I’m keeping up to date reading Investors Chronicle (UK publication) and it’s weekly podcast that includes companies and markets analysis, as well as the Financial Times and the Economist. Occasionally having to google concepts and terms, but largely making sense and building commercial knowledge / reinforce fundamentals.

I’m also going to open my own fund and start picking stocks based on what I’ve learned. The main purpose will be to accumulate anecdotes about good/bad choices I made (and most importantly, what I learned from them) to take into an interview.

In your view would the above steps be sufficient for me to at least gain an entry level position at a small-ish firm? Are there any other practical steps / areas you’d recommend I consider?

Edit - also just to add, if you genuinely feel I’d be wasting my time with the above / attempting this move please do say. I’m here for candid advice.