Feb, 2008: “What are you doing tonight?” ans - “Studying” “For What?” ans- “the CFA exam” “Oh, what is that Certified Financial Analyst?” ans- "no - “CHARTERED Financial Analyst” “When is the test?” ans -“June” “why are you studying for it now? are you dumb? ha, ha, ha” ans- “no, it’s hard” “oh yeah, I think one of my sister’s friend’s brother took it and failed it. That guy is smart too, he went to Duke for his MBA, good luck with that!” Felt like I would share some humor in the middle of studying residual income analysis…
On a weekly basis - sometimes it involves attending family functions… and you have to say “no I cannot waste half of my day traveling an hour to aunt so and so’s place for little Timmy’s f*n 1st birthday party. Don’t worry Timmy won’t miss me.”
I always get this: “jeez you study alot. Well…hopefully it will pay off for you and you will become a rich and successful financial planner so then you can make money for me” yah…thats exactly what I want to be…a financial planner…im just waiting to hear back about my interview from MetLife… *#@(& !!!
buckburns, I find it works best to put it in relation to another exam, like the CPA or bar exam. My dad is a lawyer and he was a little unsure of what the exams consisted of but he settled on assuming they were like passing the bar (i think it was a fair assessment). My mom wanted me to get a cpa so i tell her its 2x harder than the cpa (i may be off hear but whatever). As for other people, i am surprised by how many people somewhat related to the finance industry knew what it was (a good thing, especially when some low level people thought i was a god for passing l1, obviously they are kind of pathetic). The toughest people are the little old ladies who dont want to spend 30 minutes listening to your explanation of what the CFA is, so i just tell them to F*ck off and watch matlock
Try explaining the CFA to statscan (part of a study I volunteered for in highschool in exchange for pizza = big mistake)… That was a nightmare. Some of the questions before I hung up: So what University was that again? Oh ya, sorry I forgot. Its self study right so; are you a full time or part time student? So this course is by correspondance right? Is this a co op? Did you take an internship while attending University of the CFA? Oh the exam was in Toronto, so that’s where the University is? Oh right sorry, I forgot it isn’t a University again, so is this like a college or something? So is the A is for accounting? Oh ya sorry, I should of known that… So can you spell analyst for me? Oh Finance!!! So how’s the dow looking??? Either the guy wasn’t listening or his script was causing him problems.
haha buckburns that was was a great post
Anyone here ever hold back on telling your coworkers exactly what you’re studying for, for the fear of them making a big fuss and adding pressure to yourself, or your having to explain what the CFA is and inadvertently sending out a wrong message you want to leave your post?
If people don’t know about CFA, I just tell them CFA is a very general financial designation and it takes a couple of years to get it.
mto1985 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > My dad is a lawyer and he was a little unsure of > what the exams consisted of but he settled on > assuming they were like passing the bar (i think > it was a fair assessment). From what I hear from my lawyer friends, you’re selling the CFA short. Actual quote from an attorney during a poker game a couple of weeks ago (when I should have been studying and made the mistake of saying as much): “So, is this [CFA] exam really hard, or do just alot of dumb people take it, like the bar exam?”
“So, is this [CFA] exam really hard, or do just alot of dumb people take it, like the bar exam?” I say there is some truth in that statement…
here are the questions that I hear most, they make me wanna flip out: people: so why are you so busy? me:im doing mba cfa and working pt people:oh yeah, whats cfa? me:Chartered Financial Analyst designation, i have to do 3 exams in june people:Is that hard? me:it takes commitment people:Im sure it cant be that bad, just come out tonite
My conversation last night about my weekend plans…
I always get asked what CFA stands for, almost once every week by my a few of my ignorant co-workers who wonder why i have become so anti-social all of a sudden the colleagues who know what it is usually just give me a knowing wink and bugger off to the pub
Wow, hits the nail on the head… the worst is after the conversation, people still screw it up. Some people will ask at work what it stands for and someone who i have told repeatedly will jump in and answer, certified financial analyst… And i just put my head down and keep quiet. If you have asked 4 times and i have told you, learn the F***** word… chartered… shouldnt bother me so much but it does… and it gets worse after June 6th, Everyone: How’d you do? us: It was tough, hard to tell. Everyone: I am sure you did fine, you studied all the time. When do you find out? us: August XX. Everyone: Wow thats a long way away. Repeat that conversation with that same person and 100 others 50 times between June 6th and August XX.
Though I tell my friend I am doing L2 of the CFA program, they intro me saying , he is a CFA… me.: God… I like it , but it should still be " I am a CFA ch holder, as per CFAi std"… now I am still working on Level 2 and yet to be a Charter friends : … WTF, why do you make it so complicated dude… just tell you are a CFA and they will understand… their friends : So how is ACAS doing… do you think its a good pick… I saw resistence at $3 … me: This course is not abt specific stock picking and we are not doing any technical analysis. FoF: They why do you study hard man… ? I dont understand… Me : Me neither…
haha… I can definitely relate. I think I’m also getting to that point where I really have nothing to contribute in the few social get togethers I do go to. All I can speak of is the exam prep. also getting fewer calls to social events… since I decline most of them
I don’t know how many times my dad has asked me how my CPA studying is coming along…
CFA_DC_Area Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > haha… I can definitely relate. > > I think I’m also getting to that point where I > really have nothing to contribute in the few > social get togethers I do go to. All I can speak > of is the exam prep. > also getting fewer calls to social events… since > I decline most of them I thought that I was the only one …but yeah I never have anything to contribute to at social gatherings, plus I hate the dreaded monday morning question: “do anything exciting this weekend?” It makes mondays even worse than usual I usually lie and say “not much, it was a low-key kind of weekend” I do not have the patience to explain to people the amount of studying the CFA requires, plus I doubt they would ever appreciate…as it is relevant in the numerous posts above.
When people ask me, I say => I trying to be a Certified Furry Animal !
Certified Fry-cook Apprentice