Carrer/Work Politics: VOL. Does a CFA change things? Post College Life NO GROWTH?

[runningfishy]

Originally Posted by TravisJMU

Originally Posted by RunningFishy

Originally Posted by chickhien

go for the CFA if you want to stay in that industry. but you need to get your application in before feb 15, but you should be studying about 15 to 20 hrs per week starting jan 1. you have to have a valid passport as well. level 1 is offered june and december, level 2 and level 3 are only offered in the summer. so in other words, you get 2 shots to pass level 1 in 2012, one shot in 2013 to pass level 2, and one shot to pass level 3 in 2014.

i also think it wouldnt hurt to get a master's degree in there if you're motivated enough, like an mba. it really depends on what you want to do with the degree or charter.

also, are you still in contact with your old portfolio manager? sounded like yall had a pretty good professional relationship. stay in touch and ask him/her if they can be a mentor. if they sound too busy, just insist you'll be a low maintenance mentee, such as if you have a question you'll send an email and they can respond whenever they have time.

good luck

Do you know of the approach towards the CFA?  Do you know of schools offering courses?  I plan on checking it out at the university level, but hadn't had the time.  However, I want to ensure that my profession, experience and certification go hand in hand.  I'd hate to dedicate the time, if I'm going to end up doing something else.

I have the portfolio managers' contact and he was the 1st one that came out and said he'd be my reference.  At one point, he said he'd personally pay for my career development courses as the company would not.



Thanks

What are you talking about with those questions?  Have you even looked into what it entails to take the CPA, clearly chickhien knows what he is talking about....
I'll try to answer, but I'm not sure your question, are you looking for someone to give you a hold hand or checklist for taking and passing the CFA???? There is no set way to pass it..you study and prepare for the exam, and when it comes up, you either pass or you don't, the approach is to study more then you think you have to and be overly prepared.  That being said - I would say do that (over prepare

) only for levels 2 and 3.  Level 1 can be taken by soon to be graduate's, (undergrad), that being said, it mainly focus' on concepts you learned in school..(and a small ie but NPV, Bond Valuation, etc).....

Chickhien mentioned the correct approach, take level 1 in June when you take it, if you fail, take it in December so you are able to sit for level 2 the following summer..rather then failing the first summer, missing the December test and then having to wait until the summer of the following year.  I have not fully gone down this path as I went/am finishing my CPA before I complete my CFA, but chickhien if I'm not mistaken - I thought it was similar to the CPA where if I pass lvl 1 in 2012, lvl 2 in 2013, and failed lvl 3 in  2014 - I still was able to get another 1-2 (however long the first two passes stay active) chances to pass level 3 and get the certification or is that not the case anymore?

as for your second question...schools offering CFA courses?? Maybe a prepclass, but how could they offer college credit for that?  Most of my undergrad Finance was taught via the CFA institute books, so the same books that are recommended as study guides for the test.  I'm almost sure Becker or Barrons has other prep guides you could buy...and if I'm not mistaken the last time I looked at it, the official CFA website had study guides..

advice to others in the field...after college if you want to pursue an MBA - only do it right after you graduate if you can afford it without taking out any loans or you are unable to find a job (if the latter happens, the you may have to void the first, but do not go into more debt without looking for a job)..85% of companies will pay for your MBA if you get good enough grades, so it is more beneficial in that sense & MBA admission boards love the work experience over any new grad (even if the new grads GPA/GMAT are >>>>>>>> the seasoned person)....as mojomonkey mentioned..to me an MBA is a joke...CFA/CPA/CIA/CISA are far more worth the time (and the headaches will be worse), however that certification carries it's weight in gold for you...before you talk to anyone with those certifications - you bring a sense of respect/integrity/honestly to the position and you are a "specialist" in your certification.  An MBA to me and my friends that have taken classes towards it..just a waste of time as most Accounting/Finance majors do not learn a ton of additional information.  MBA will focus as well on interpersonal skills, marketing, operations, etc..i mean its alright and a catch all, but your knowledge base for things you will actually use in your life will not expand...

(did not proof read so flamesuit on for grammatical crap haha)

Sorry, my post got chopped off.  Wanted to clarify.

Yes, I have looked at it a bit.  But I was curious in terms of what 'plan' I should take on.  Completing the CFA will take me a few years of genuine understanding.  That's where the weight of this certification comes in.  Yes, passing Level 1 might be easy w/ the help of Barron's test preps, but Level 2 and Level 3 are totally applicable and different.  More so, the topics tested are scenario based (not so easy) - which is why most people fail there.

I'll probably google and look on forums more geared towards this, but I wanted to post in a diff't community.  Saying so, this is why I thought about the MBA as well.  It's a different level of networking, but I'm in a position where I have to juggle between actual work, studying and everything else.  Yes, the CFA's weight and prestige over a typical MBA comes here- it's because it's not a BullSet degree like many others.  This is where you separate yourself.

In the end, it's about my job and career path.  Hmm... Thanks!

 

[runningfishy]

Today, they introduced the new cat to our team today.  I could not believe how sour I was.  More so, I did not believe I was ever going to have to deal w/ these types of feelings.  I faked smile everything, said my fake congratulations and all that office bull crap.  (TOTALLY UNLIKE ME)  One thing's for sure, I'm not on the Dept. Head's A-list.  The amount of artificial promises to help 'grow' and 'improve' me was never there.  Some how, the gathering got into a discussion about a project I used to work on w/ the ex-portfolio manager.  The Dept. Head, instantly implied I pass it over to the new rook.  I answered by saying, either way was fine, but on the inside I felt like me doing all the extra work w/ no room for growth to be a waste. 

FYI, the Dept Head has no CFA, just a MBA.

I'm thinking of either:

A) Looking for another job at another insitution while working on a MBA / CFA

of

B) Travel/Study abroad in another country (Asia) for a year and look for things at the university level

If it weren't for the sake of the economy, I would've left already.  I still feel like watching the circus fall apart.

I think I'm good already at venting.