I am writing a resume to apply for Financial Analyst/Accountant positions and I have a question. Just so you know, I have been kind of out of the job field for 3 years running a small family business which I have now closed. Prior to this experience, I have been working as an accountant for 2 years.
I am enrolled in CPA program as well as CFA level 2. Should I put both on my resume or will it seem that I am confused with my career path? The reason why I am doing my CFA exams is because I want to learn finance and I donât really care for a Charter.
Or, depending on the job positions, I should add/ subtract the CFA candidate/ Enrolled in CPA program wording?
Put whatever relates to the job you are applying for. If youâre still studying for level 1 I wouldnât put it on your resume. It like putting âstudying for college mid-termsâ. No one cares.
If I were you, I would put them both on the resume. Be sure to indicate which part(s) of each set of exams you have passed.
At least as important, you need to be able to have a succinct answer ready for any prospective employer who asks you why you want both designations. I have both myself, and the knowledge content required to get each one differs greatly from the other. So be prepared to respond to the âwhy bothâ question.
You say, âI have been working as an accountantâ, then you say âI am enrolled in a CPA program.â My question - are you an accountant? Yes or no. If you say yes, then âWhy are you enrolled in a CPA program?â If not, then why are you calling yourself an accountant?
What is a CPA program anyway? You mean youâre in college? Meaning, youâre a freshman in college, and are about seven years away from being a CPA? Or youâre âCPA readyâ (meaning youâve finished your education, got permission to take the exam, and currently studying for the exam)?
Why are you doing both? Why not just finish one, then finish the other?
Many people over the years have expressed the opinion that the CFP is a no-brainer, lightweight credential. Having encountered a number of CFPs, I believe thatâs true. In fact, I heard one CFP-holder say, âIf you ever hear of someone flunking this exam, you know that person is an A-1 dunce.â
I hold both the CPA and the CFA designations. Most of the work I do involves valuing non-public companies and advising their owners on such matters as M&A, governance, and preparing to exit. The CPA is one of the worldâs great brands (which is why I pursued it), but the CFA is more relevant to the work I do.
In my 45 years as a financial professional, Iâve NEVER heard the CFP referred to as being âfor the truly elite.â I think thatâs a gross overstatement. Fact: Iâve never heard of anyone who FAILED the CFP tests. In contrast, many people fail different parts of both the CPA and the CFA exams.
âNobody caresâ?? Thatâs absurd. They da**ed well DO CARE.
If you can get both designations, more doors will open to you, and youâll have more career options. I have both of them myself. I thought the CFA was the tougher of the two batteries of tests, at least when I took it. Iâve heard that, in recent years, the CFA Institute has made the test much easier, which, if itâs true, is most regrettable. But it might also explain why the number of CFA charterholders has skyrocketed in the last few years.
