Am I on the Right Path? Please spare 2 min to read

I graduated from a Russell Group university in July 2025. I struggled to get into graduate scheme, some of it was probably due to visa restrictions, and maybe I just wasn’t competitive enough yet. But I didn’t want to sit idle so shortly after graduating, I joined the education sector as a Finance Assistant on a £25.3k salary. It wasn’t the most glamorous role, but i was getting expereince (I dont regret it at all as my team was best in the world). During that time, I also completed CFA Level I, because my long-term goal is to move into equity research and finance analysis.

Recently, after about 8 months, I have switched into a new role as a Finance Analysis Officer at a growing housing company (Salary 30k) . It’s a small team, which actually excites me because it means I’ll get exposure to many parts of finance and take ownership of processes, I’m currently preparing for CFA Level II (August 2026).

I’m 22 years old, and to be honest, sometimes I’m not sure if I’m doing well or falling behind. It’s hard not to compare yourself when you see people your age joining big companies or earning much higher salaries. My UK visa expires in July 2027, so the next year feels especially important for me to grow and position myself for better opportunities. My plan is to work here for nect 8 month and learn about the business inside out anf then look for high paying jobs in last 5-6 months that can potentially sponsor me. If anyone here has been in a similar position earlier in their career, I would genuinely appreciate any advice. Am I on the right path?