I haven’t actually started the CFA but I have been wanting to work in finance for a year now. The only thing stopping me from enrolling in the program is the possibility of never finding any job or internship opportunities. A little background about me, my undergrad degree was in science and I currently work in that field. I only recently graduated and I know how difficult it is to find a job nowadays. I’m scared I might end up not fulfilling the work experience requirement. I plan to leave my job and start with unpaid internships first before writing the first exam. I read somewhere that internships don’t count as experience, so I have a feeling that it will take me a few years longer to complete the whole thing. IF I do end up passing all the exams without any job experience, am I pretty much doomed? I am worried I might be really behind compared to people with background in finance, economics, commmerce etc.
Forget the CFA for now!
Buy the best financial modeling course you can find and learn how to financial model. At this point, learning how to model is more important than the CFA.
best of luck!
It won’t be easy, but I can’t think of too many things that will help more than the CFA exams. Every job I got till date is because of the CFA, one hired by someone who values it for an analyst position, and two jobs I was hired by a CFA charterholder…
Financial modeling great, you can cover that in a week, no such thing as a free lunch. However sure its a good skill to have.
best of luck
Just do it. The universe will do the rest.
Explain please.
Deloitte:
I am electrical engineer (and Financial Economist 4 years degree) in more than 10 year.I am desprate to be very good financial analyst. Do not listing to others if you want to be CFA charterholder it is not gonna be easy that is 100% sure.But if it is easy than on the road will be again too much traffic. You wanna learn just to get other job you have already lost the game. You need very hard work and if you are not dedicated (you are questioning to start or not) than your chance the accomplished the CFA program is convergate to ZERO.When I heart about the CFA program ready and watch about it for 2-3 day and after that immediately decided that this is what I would like to KNOW.I do not care that I have to work best case 7 years after 4 year college.
I am on the Level 2 road. And I am not HR manager or Company owner but if you put on the CV that you completed the CFA program trust me you will have MUCH BETTER chance to get the job.But the road will not gonna be easy!
Other if you have no job in Financial Industry (let us say) so what,you will get enormous huge knowledge how to invest much efficiently your saving money and return what you will get from the very difficult 3 years will be significant.
Send a PM to Optimist85.
#PassedL3WithNoExperience
wow passing the hardest exams and still low chance of getting a job. CFA must be the shittest ROI certification out there on this planet!
Wow! A topic so so very close to my heart. CFA RoI is shittiest - As a general statement I agree. You need to work you are off for 3 yrs.- I agree. You are not assured of a job- I agree. You bet tremendous amount of knowledge - I agree. I love CFA, I hate none.
Did Optimist85 ever get back to you?
#deadserious
The CFA Program was never designed to let people break into the highly competitive finance industry. There is simply no way for all those who have passed these exams to get a high-paying, highly desired finance job
There are simply not enough jobs to go around to give everyone who has passed these exams to get one
I completely agree. Thank god I stopped after level 1 and didn’t waste my time. CPA is the way to go…
What are you doing posting on CFA discussion boards then?
correct.
He just wants some AF love
to OP - the best bet to break into finance would be to study for the GMAT and get an MBA it is going to take a lot of work to pass the CFA exams and will still be hard to break into the industry
yeah exactly
Top15 MBA will with almost certainly get you into the finance world - most likely land you a FO job too. Probably need +700 GMAT which is 92nd percentile of all GMAT test takers…On the other hand, to pass each level of the CFA exam you need to be roughly 50th percentile. Just gotta come in roughly 4-5th place out of 10 people to pass the exams. Let me tell you 2 of the 10 candidates are clueless.
CFA takes 3 years and may be easier to get it done.
MBA takes 2 years + 1 year of preparation (total 3 years) but costs more money. It will also change your career 180 degrees and upgrade your network/friends. These new friends/networks will probably help you even more with your career down the line.
Even though I want CPA not CFA but still AF is the best forum. I love the people here. So blunt and true.