As a CFA® charterholder who has navigated multiple roles in finance, Levi Pettit sees a potential blind spot in the rush toward remote work. The Pepperdine Graziadio MBA candidate draws from his own experience to make a case for traditional office environments, particularly for those starting their careers.
The Workplace Evolution Challenge
“COVID changed a lot of things,” Pettit observes, addressing the shift in work culture. “People coming out of undergrad or college who want to pursue finance may find that attractive. However, it’s important for people who [are in] their entry-level job [to] be looking for opportunities where they can be face-to-face with people every single day — in my experience, that’s where I learned and grew the most.”
Early Career Insights
Following his magna cum laude graduation from The University of Texas at Dallas, Pettit’s first role as an enterprise risk management analyst at Independent Financial provided unexpected learning opportunities. “I was working in enterprise risk management; nothing in my undergrad prepared me for that,” he recalls. A pivotal conversation with his first boss shaped his perspective: “I know that you just graduated, and you think that you have a college degree and you know everything now; but that’s not the case. You need to realize you will need to continue learning for the rest of your career.”
The Direct Communication Advantage
Pettit’s career took a significant turn when he joined a family office, where he experienced the benefits of streamlined communication. “It never felt like I had to talk to a boss, who had to talk to their boss, who had to talk to somebody else’s boss,” he explains. “I could be completely open and honest to even the managing partner about what was going on.”
As an investment associate, he gained comprehensive exposure to various investment strategies. “It was an amazing experience,” he reflects. “I realized how these high-net worth individuals looked at investment opportunities — not just on the public side between stocks and bonds, but on the private side as well.”
Looking Forward
For those entering finance today, Pettit’s advice is clear and direct: prioritize in-person opportunities. “Unfortunately, I just don’t think remote environments provide that opportunity,” he states. “If I was graduating today, I would try to find something that required me to be in a seat five days a week, and make sure there was some type of team culture.”
Through his progression in the industry, Pettit demonstrates how traditional office environments continue to offer unique advantages for professional development in finance, despite the growing appeal of remote work options.