Census: Career pursue with CFA designation

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wkmak

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Hi everyone,

I'm trying to gain some insight before taking the CFA exam. What career you are/could pursue by reaching CFA designation?

By the way, I'm an auditor.

Thanks!
 
Many doors open, but the most common will be equity analysts (buy and sell-side), traders, portfolio managers, investment bankers, and market strategists.
 
there is info on the institutes website. go there first. i would say most people in the investment mgmt industry are expected to get the charter. nowadays, you look like a fool if you are still young and not in the program.
 
I've actually read a little on the CFAI website, but I don't quite understand the career functions they proposed since I have very little exposure to Finance industry.

The followings sound all like a stock trader/management to me: Investment companies, investment banking, mutual funds, hedge funds, etc.
What is the job functions for careers with CFA ?

Please forgive me for being naive.
Thanks for all of your help!
 
Not sure but in my opinion, I wouldn't get a charter and then try to figure out what jobs it would get me. Try to figure out what you want to do but looking at different careers sites, speaking to people, etc and then once you know where you want to go then do what you need to do to get there.
 
wkmak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've actually read a little on the CFAI website,
> but I don't quite understand the career functions
> they proposed since I have very little exposure to
> Finance industry.
>
> The followings sound all like a stock
> trader/management to me: Investment companies,
> investment banking, mutual funds, hedge funds,
> etc.
> What is the job functions for careers with CFA ?
>
> Please forgive me for being naive.
> Thanks for all of your help!



YOU DEF SOUND LIKE A NEWBIE TO FINANCE, NOT TO BE MEAN OR ANYTHING, BUT PLEASE DO MORE RESEARCH ON THE CFAI SITE -- IF YOU ARE NOT "SURE" ABOUT THE CFA EXAM, THEN YOU BETTER KNOW NOW THAN KNOWING AFTER YOU START STUDYING FOR THIS BRUTAL TEST.
 
I began to have an understanding about the broad investment career with CFA charter after I did the research per Daj's advice.
I'm definitely interested in being an financial/investment analysts, and I know it's a broad career. Wonder what other people are pursuing with CFA charter?

Daj, I read some posts that you have MBA and CAIA already. You definitely increase the competition in this field. What is current career right now?

I wish I could go for MBA as well, but the cost is definitely the biggest issue with me right now. That is why I thought about obtaining CFA. Could you please give me some in depth advice about being an investment analysts? Thanks!
 
I am also an auditor but planning a transition to transaction avdvisory/M&A/invest banking with CFA
 
for whoever asked, i have mba, but no caia yet. i do take level I caia next month and i plan to kill it.

i worked for some while in fin scvcs and did my equity analyst internship in 2007 at a top 10 buy side firm last summer. i was in b school from 06-08

i am actually STILL looking for a job, which kinda sucks, but after i killed level I
i realized, who gives, the joy of passing level I was like smoking a huge blunt and topping it off with a king cobra, nothing could bring me down --

i will find what i want eventually and im the type of guy to get what i want rather than setlle for less. i talk to my friends who finished MBA with me and they are already complaining. when i pick a job, i pick one that i literally run to every day. only the stock market excites me. bottom line -- do what you like guys. dont let family friends or peers BS you and coax you into safer routes.

sorry for pontificating, it is late and i have been looking at pro forma models all day

what i want to do is ibanking or equity research IN BOSTON, so i am geographically limited and i have a narrow focus. plus, i like to think that the "economy sucks" excuse still applies : ) -
 
To Faraz70s:
I hoped to use my CFA designation to break into ibanking (M&A or analysts side) as well since they earn more $, and it's definitely more challenging and exciting every single day.
(unlike audit... document, traced and agreed)
However, the competition is huge because:
1. They mostly hire the sharp MBA grads @ B-school
2. I'm based at California which limited my search of ibanking job as well...

By the way, how's your transition going so far though?
 
Daj, I admire your willingness and courage...
I worked in auditing becuz of the SAFETY issue, and now I totally think it's HELLA boring. (which I complained as well!)

Just like what I told Faraz70s, I would like to break into ibanking by CFA designation, but I'm afraid (AGAIN) the competition is huge because investment firms or ibanking usually hire the MBA grads.
I wonder IF I passed Level 1 (fortunately), do I still need to start from the bottom again?

When it comes to the bottom line, it's always DECISION, DECISION, DECISION....
 
CFA level I will not get you into i banking. in banking, MBA is more important. and they want MBA from top 10 school and you need to know someone most of the time

just the way it works. i bank recruiting at the bulge brackets is very formal and they go to schools. if you are from a no name school and have level I under your belt, that means nothing to them

just the way it works -- hate to rain on the parade.

CFA is highly valuable in buy side research though.
 
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