Using CAIA designation without paying annual dues

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Wendy

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A guy I know (no; not me) lists CAIA after his name on his resume etc, but hasn’t paid annual dues (currently $250) in a couple years, so he is technically no longer a CAIA member.
I know CAIA is not cool with this because their website says:
” YOU MUST BE A CAIA MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING IN ORDER TO EARN THE RIGHT TO USE THE CAIA DESIGNATION. You must also renew your membership annually or biennially to maintain your status in good standing, and to retain the right to use the designation. ”
He figures that the $2200 in exam fees that he paid was “plenty” considering the amount that it has benefitted his career so far. (ie none)
What do you think of this… Sensible? Unethical? Both?
On one hand, the exam+annual fees will pretty easily add up to $10,000 over a career, which seems like a lot to pay for a designation that even most folks in the industry have never heard of. And he is not “really” misleading anybody, since he passed the exams and was at one point awarded the designation.
On the other hand, it seems obviously wrong to lay claim to a designation that you’re clearly not supposed to be using.
 
Unethical
And it also doesn’t sound smart.
If you put it on your resume and apply for a job, there is a chance HR will do a check if your educational statements are correct.
To find out if somebody is allowed to use CAIA behind his name is relatively easy; the member roster is available online and updated daily.
People who know what CAIA is probably know this also, and will do the check which takes 3 minutes. And then you have blown every chance for being invited to the interview.
 
It’s a very good point Eric; CAIA is one designation that is particularly easy to verify. I suspect that CAIA publishes this list mostly in order to shame/scare people into paying their fees.
I checked the 6 “alleged” CAIAs that I know against the member roster, and only 3 of the 6 appear…
http://caia.org/sites/default/files/member_roster.pdf
…So either I hang with a particularly disreputable bunch, or many people that are awarded the designation continue to promote themselves as CAIAs without paying their annual dues.
 
Of course, the CAIA site says the following:
“Note: This is not a complete list of all CAIA designees and representative firms. For reasons of privacy, the names of some CAIA members and their companies are not included on the roster. For verification of membership, due diligence, and all other inquiries, please contact [email protected].”
So looking at the online roster is not the end of the story.
http://caia.org/about-us/member-roster
 
And of course what the guy is doing that the OP is asking about is ridiculous. He should just say he’s passed the exams on his resume if he doesn’t want to pay the dues.
 
Yeah, I guess if he is too cheap to pay the annual dues but still wants to communicate that he has passed the exams, he could list CAIA on his resume or bio like this:
Resume:
* Awarded the CAIA designation in 2009
Bio:
“Joe was awarded the CAIA designation in 2009.”
Even if he hasn’t paid his CAIA dues, both of those statements are 100% true (though perhaps misleading).
 
I passed all three levels of the CFA Program and have just enrolled in the CAIA level I exam. What is the proper reference for a CAIA level I candidate. Is it okay to say I am a ‘CAIA Level I Candidate?’
I tried searching CAIA’s website and had no luck. Thanks
 
This is old thread, but CAIA online directory is very incomplete.
First, there are only 4437 names in it, while member count is about 6700 as of the latest estimate from CAIA.
Second, it contains not just members, but also candidates, past members, CAIA faculty and site visitors!!!
I don’t see my name in the directory, I also don’t see names of couple of my co-workers who passed L1 exam and some folks who already earned CAIA designation.
I’d say in this state the directory is almost worthless.
 
It’s really a joke:
NY - 6 results,
CT - 0 (ZERO!!!),
CA - 4,
All USA - 48,
UK - 6.
 
I think by default you aren’t in the directory. I added myself by making my name visible under my account settings - that did the trick.
 
Good that you did that!
But this question goes back to the benefits of CAIA and making it serious designation. If members don’t make an effort to get their names out there, creating some sort of community and network, then CAIA will not have any meaningful value.
 
blu2014 wrote:
Good that you did that!
But this question goes back to the benefits of CAIA and making it serious designation. If members don’t make an effort to get their names out there, creating some sort of community and network, then CAIA will not have any meaningful value.
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