Levi Pettit’s career in finance is characterized by a strong commitment to continuous learning and professional development. This approach, instilled early in his career, has been a driving force behind his success.
Pettit recalls advice from his first boss that shaped his perspective on lifelong learning: “She said to me, ‘I know that you just graduated, and you think that you have a college degree and know everything now; but that’s not the case — and you need to realize that you will need to continue learning for the rest of your career.'” This advice has stuck with Levi Pettit throughout his professional journey.
His pursuit of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation exemplifies this commitment to ongoing education. “Nobody required it of me,” Pettit says. “It’s something I did on my own. It was a lot of evenings and weekends studying.”
Even when faced with setbacks, such as narrowly missing the passing score for the Level II CFA exam, Pettit’s determination remained unwavering. He reflects, “I wasn’t being asked to do this for work. At [that] point, after Level I and Level II, [I’d] studied over 600 hours, and it was going to require me to study another 300. I could have just tossed in the towel and said, ‘I don’t really need to continue to pursue this.’ But the day I found out I didn’t pass, less than 24 hours later, I was already signed up to take Level II again.”
Pettit’s commitment to learning extends beyond formal certifications. He advises young professionals to continually expand their skill set, suggesting they should be “prepared to potentially do more than what’s required to advance their careers—such as taking an online financial modeling course over the weekend to expand their skill set.”
Currently pursuing an MBA at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School, Pettit continues to embody the principle of lifelong learning in his finance career. His journey serves as an inspiration for aspiring finance professionals, highlighting the importance of continuous education and skill development in a rapidly evolving industry.