A CFA is one of the highest positions in the investment management field. These experts are highly skilled in analyzing investment competition to benefit individuals as well as organizations. Aspiring candidates who wish to be successful in CFA should know the CFA course, pass its exams, and get its certificate.
What is the CFA Course?
The term CFA stands for Chartered Financial Analyst and is one of the golden designations in the investment and finance fields. The CFA Institute started this course way back in 1947 and now it is recognized in 165 countries. The CFA course aims to train the candidates to become financial analysts by educating them in topics of accounting, economics, management, security analysis, money, and ethics.
After knowing what the CFA course is, it is also essential to know why one should pursue it and how it can benefit the candidates in their careers.
Reasons to Pursue the CFA Course
CFA is considered to be one of the best career options in the Finance field for many reasons.
- Global Recognition:
The CFA designation is recognized in as many as 165 countries now. So, candidates pursuing the CFA course and getting its certificate have global exposure in the finance and investment fields.
- Diverse Finance Roles:
Today, the finance world has come up with various segments. The best thing is that the CFA credential is preferable in several segments like Foreign Exchange, Alternative Investments, and even Fintech.
- Opportunities in Investment Firms:
The CFA course majorly focuses on investment-related topics like portfolio management and financial modeling. So, top-notch investment firms prefer to hire candidates who have attained the CFA certificate.
- Trains in Decision-making:
The CFA program educates the candidates with analysis techniques and trains them in proper skills that allow them to make sound decisions.
- Practical Skills:
The course is not just a chunk of theoretical knowledge. It also trains the candidates with practical skills so that they can deal with the real world efficiently.
- Ethical Standards:
The CFA course has a topic on Ethical Standards that trains the candidates in maintaining professional ethics in any organization. This is again one of the reasons why many firms desire to hire CFA candidates.
- Great Networking Opportunities:
One of the best benefits that the CFA candidates get is the support from the CFA societies. The CFA members help by offering resources for career boosts and seeking better opportunities.
Who can Pursue the CFA Course?
After the CFA course is explained, and understanding its benefits, it is time to check who can pursue the course.
- Graduates who have a background in accounting and have an investment interest are eligible for the course.
- Working professionals in the investment sectors can also pursue the course to upscale their skills and gain recognition.
- Professors in the finance department can pursue the course to enter the investment specialization.
- Other candidates who have higher education like an MBA can also pursue the CFA course to fetch high-end opportunities in the sectors of wealth management, portfolio management, and financial management.
Pursuing the CFA course
Just understanding what the CFA course is not enough. Candidates should also understand the procedure of becoming one before pursuing the course.
The very first step is to get registered with the CFA program. A good coaching center like Zell Education can always help in the registration process and smoothen up the whole experience. Zell will also help in understanding whether you are eligible for the course or not.
After the registration is done, it is time to prepare for the exams and pass them one by one. Once again, Zell Education helps in getting registered for the exams and preparing them. There are three levels in the course and candidates need to pass one exam for each level. All the level exam patterns are different from each other. For example, the CFA Level 1 exam has MCQ questions while the Level 3 exam has a combination of MCQ and essay-type questions. So, getting help from an expert like Zell is a great idea.
Next, is to complete a work experience of 48 months in the relevant field. Now, the candidates can either complete this work experience before the exam, during the exam, or even after the exam.
Finally, the candidates will have to apply for the CFA certificate for which they must submit reference letters from their place of work and other relevant documents to the CFA Institute along with the application.
Conclusion
The CFA is a challenging yet lucrative job opportunity for those who wish to have a career in the investment field. The CFA course offers an opportunity to have a successful career in the finance and investment field. But candidates should know the CFA course in detail to make a firm decision about their career choices.