my boss asked me to stop using the CFA designation :(

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malek_bg

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hey guys,
I ve become a CFA charterholder since last week. I started using the CFA designation at work (emails signature…).
My boss asked me to stop using it, he told me that other colleagues (heads of departments will not appreciate it…).
I stopped using it after two days :( I am disgusted, I worked too hard to get the charter…
fyi, I am working for a large investment bank in france as a business analyst/project manager
anyone of you had encountered the same situation?
thanks!
M.
 
Hey malek,
Unfortunately I cannot answer your question but I’m curious as what did you give as job description to have your experience validated.
Would you agree to share it with us? (or I can drop my e-mail address if you prefer to)
Thanks.
 
That’s ridiculous! In any case, it should reflect well on you and the firm having more members carry the CFA designation. Especially at any investment bank, it doesn’t matter which department.
My honest opinion, is that your boss is insecure about his own job, and fears you taking over his position by achieving the charter. I really can’t think of any other reason.
Since he has the power to make your life miserable, unfortunately, you may have to obey it.
 
iteracom Wrote:
——————————————————-
> That’s ridiculous! In any case, it should reflect
> well on you and the firm having more members carry
> the CFA designation. Especially at any investment
> bank, it doesn’t matter which department.
>
> My honest opinion, is that your boss is insecure
> about his own job, and fears you taking over his
> position by achieving the charter. I really can’t
> think of any other reason.
>
> Since he has the power to make your life
> miserable, unfortunately, you may have to obey it.
I don’t think so.. he is a good guy, actually, the first day I used the designation within my emails, he advised me to remove it, he told me that other “heads”will comment on this for sure…
I kept it, but after a couple of days he showed me an email from another manager here asking him to talk to me about it
 
You say that your boss said the other “heads” will comment on this for sure. Maybe your boss is insecure and does not want to get berated by the “heads” for having a CFA charterholder working as a business analyst or project manager. You might be perfectly happy with your job, but the “heads” are probably going to curiously ask your boss why you are not a banker or in a high flying finance role.
 
malek_bg Wrote:
——————————————————-
>
> anyone of you had encountered the same situation?
>
> thanks!
> M.
no, but you are in France kid.
 
Here is my e-mail address:
genmahsakrai at hotmail dot com
Many thanks!
My 2ct on your problem: France is well-known for having a very hard hierarchy system (I work from time to time with French) You want to validate something you need to add 10 people including their head…and you cannot even think to by-pass them (I tried by removing their names in the replies and it was not really appreciated :-D) The heads certainly not like to be inferiors which might be their feeling because they don’t have such designation.
 
This strikes me as very odd. Never heard of anything like this before. French jokes aside, is this truly a cultural thing? At first I was just thinking your boss was a prick, but the fact that other heads actually did ask your boss to talk to you about it validated his concerns.
Crazy.
 
felt so bad, actually I m still feeling so bad… 3 years of hard work for this designation, and not I am not even using it…
will consider moving next year
 
don’t get too down about this. Remember you worked and earned it! You Rock!! your boss sounds like a candy-a**; but could be a cultural/hiearchal/whatever thing, too. I get it. If you can, put it on your business cards; hang your charter in a beautiful/well made double matted custom frame in your office AND walk proud! Things have a way of working out and keep a positive attitude and the CFA “swagger”!!
 
Arguably, the only time that the CFA matters is when you’re applying for jobs. So, as long as your boss doesn’t prevent you from including it in your resume, I don’t see what the big deal is. Who cares if you don’t get to wave a p*nis around in your email signature?
 
ohai Wrote:
——————————————————-
> Arguably, the only time that the CFA matters is
> when you’re applying for jobs. So, as long as your
> boss doesn’t prevent you from including it in your
> resume, I don’t see what the big deal is. Who
> cares if you don’t get to wave a p*nis around in
> your email signature?
I agree. Here’s an interesting idea for an experiment, though - replace the figurative “p*nis” in your email signature with a picture of an actual p*nis and see what the “heads” think of that.
 
I wouldn’t use a picture of yours though (assuming you have one); that would be weird.
 
if it effects the investment decision (investing in new projects or not) that counts IMO.
whether investing funds for people, or a business, that counts IMO since its all about the proper allocation of capital
 
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