Work experience question

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Banjee

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Apologies for asking a basic question that I really should know the answer to.
I know that 4 years of work experience are required for the charter. However, I was wanting to ask if it was possible to get lesser years approved beforehand. I currently have just under 3 years of work experience and am looking to move firms in the next couple of months. I just wanted to know if I could get my 3 years approved at my current place of work, using referees that are based here, and then in a year top up to four years with my next work place. Is this doable?
Thanks in advance for your help.
 
I believe the answer is yes. Copying and pasting your question into an email to CFAI will be the best way to get this resolved, though.
 
Don’t see why not. They’ll just approve “x” months of experience and you’ll have to resubmit. When you resubmit your reference submissions remain. So if you need to get your references in before you go, you should send off those requests (through CFAI website) now.
 
I asked a similar quesion in General Discussion that was answered by higgmond:
Yes, you can have your experience reviews “as you go” if you so desire. It’s less efficient than doing it all at once, but at least you’ll know that your experience to-date is accepted. You can’t have your experience “pre-approved” though, so if you don’t finish until next year they’re not going to approve that portion until next year. You’ll still have to submit the final 12 months along with the new L3 passers. You will have the benefit of any CFAI feedback on your prior submission though, so you should have no problems getting the last year approved. A lot of folks word their submission “poorly” and end up having to resubmit it a few times before it gets approved.
I would also advise you to join your local society in the spring as a candidate so you don’t have to wait for them to accept you when all the new passers are trying to join. I think if you join late enough in their fiscal year (June 30th), they waive the fee.
 
Thanks for your responses. Just in case it benefits anyone else, I asked CFAi and they said:
“Thank you for contacting us about your work experience. Your work experience is all self reporting, and your references can be any individual who can attest to your professional working experience. Your references do not have to be a current supervisor or co-worker.”
Then I asked:
I just wanted to ask you whether I would be able to have my current 3 years work experience approved now and then send in my final years experience details in a years time?
And then they replied:
“
Thank you for your response. Because of the large number of applicants and candidates in the CFA Program, CFA Institute cannot provide pre-determinations or advice regarding work experience prior to the membership application process. Acceptable work experience for regular membership in CFA Institute and award of the CFA charter involves spending 50% or more of your time evaluating or applying financial, economic and/or statistical data as part of the investment decision-making process involving securities or similar investments, which includes, publicly traded and privately placed stocks, bonds and mortgages and their derivatives; commodity-based derivatives and mutual funds; and other investment assets, such as real estate and commodities, if these other investment assets are held as part of a diversified, securities-oriented investment portfolio; supervising persons who conduct such activities; or teaching such activities.
To determine whether your specific background meets the definition of acceptable work experience, to view sample job titles or descriptions, and to use a work experience self assessment tool, please visit http://www.cfainstitute.org/community/membership/process/Pages/work_experience.aspx. ”
 
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