I am not sure how many candidates going through MBA are taking level II on AF. If you are one, what kind of jobs are you thinking about when you graduate? I am an engineer going through part-time program, so do not have a chance to get a lot of finance electives. For me, CFA level I and II (if I pass) would be one way to learn the material and show that I am a serious candidate for finance related jobs.
I would say 95% people taking CFA want to work in Finance. CFA will take you to Investment Management. MBA is a different beast. Anybody who wants to get promotion/career switch in any field goes for MBA.
Buddham, you are working full-time, getting your MBA part-time, and studying for CFA??? Wow.
Your ??? is so appropriate. It did wreck my family life. I, not unlike lots of AFers, really like finance related subjects, so I do have the motivation, but so short on time. I have been doing same kind of job for too long, and a change of scenery would help me get excited again.
I’m one - doing MBA in finance, just took level 2 (50-50 about my chances). I’d be mostly looking at going into fund management, but let’s see… I’d rather not be too rigid in my choices…
non_kool, Do you have related experience? I have none. Do I stand any chance of getting into jobs like fund management? Thanks,
I would say Part-Time MBA’s do not give same kind of opportunities which full-time does. What school do you go to? If NYU, try your career service and alumni to get into finance.
I finished my MBA three years ago and just took L2. I was in software development and consulting before that (read: no finance experience). It sounds like we took similar paths. I used the MBA to switch careers … worked for private equity for a little while, now I’m an analyst for a small, public telecom. Like you, I’m using the CFA program to make the switch into the investment side. I found that my MBA carried weight in the field I came from in terms of job prospects, but not any other field. I went to a top-25 school. Maybe if I had gone to a top-5 school things would have been different. The CFA program will undoubtedly cast you as someone serious about investment mgt. That’s the bet I’m making, too. My theory is that there is no bar or board certification equivalent in business school, and that’s why the name matters so much: there is no other way to judge someone’s competence or aptitude. The CFA, however, does that.
Related work experience? Naw… I have a degree in computer engineering though, and worked for a top 5 IB as software designer/developer for the front-office. But that was just for over a year and a half. I’m thinkin the MBA would help me switch to core finance, and the charter would propel me further up the ladder. But let’s see, with the kind of turmoil I fear the markets are gonna go into, I’m not really counting any chickens before the eggs are hatched.
I’m pretty much in the same shoes. I did my MBA part-time, worked (and still working) full-time, and wrote my L2 this month. Convocation is tomorrow - what a relief 
MBA will basically serve me to change careers (plan is to move into equity research or something along those lines). CFA will open the doors further (portfolio management). I specialized in finance and strategic management, so CFA should strengthen the finance side. Depending on the school (brand, reputation), you could basically move into anything you want. Engineers are mostly quant oriented, so something involving quite a bit of quant should suit you. Financial engineering? Investment banking? Equity research?
In Canada…thinks kind of stink for MBA…It seems that they like CFA, CA or other accountants more than MBA for finance related jobs…
quant and IB? are you kidding me? using excel and knowing FSA is not quant … I was misinformed before I tried IB. Financial Engineering is the answer, of course if you have any desire to do it. Although, it may be tough to get in there now…
if you have to take cfa to help you find a job, you won’t find a job. cfa is really only good for refining knowledge after you already have a job.
“In Canada…thinks kind of stink for MBA…It seems that they like CFA, CA or other accountants more than MBA for finance related job” I agree with Golfer’s comment. The CA is held to a pretty high standard in Canada and many career opportunities come with it. It is very technical but instills broad problem solving skills allowing it to be applied to so many industries and settings. Two other reasons for the demand of CAs - relatively low amount of graduates annually (maybe 2000 in whole country) because of the work requirements (i.e. the big 4 can only hire so many people). This helps maintain a premium for our services. Also, the hands-on experience that comes with a CA designation is better than theoretical knowledge of a graduate degree.
What is CA? Chartered Accountant? CPA (Certified Public Accountant) in US needs several years of experience before they are valued by the Industry. CA looks like is CPA + lots of experience. MBA is fine for a career change; I do not have any complaints looking at the performance of previous batches. MBA is very different from CFA; MBA is very shallow but very broad; CFA is very narrow but very deep. For me, my inability to take finance electives as part of my MBA convinced me to take CFA to fill that part and some. This may help my resume to move a little up due to this for typical MBA-finance related jobs.
Buddham, I’m doing the UT Austin part-time program in Dallas and just took level 2. I would love to get into a JPMorgan Private Bank type job or analyst position at one of the many shops in Dallas. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll probably wind up in corporate finance.
I am in a similar boat as some of you in this discussion thread… MBA wasnt good enough to get my foot into a finance role. I work in the mortgage industry but would like to move into more research oriented roles which I believe is my forte… WOuld any of you have any suggestions on what might be the best way to move into research roles? Are there any specific routes to move into research roles or is it just being at the right place at the right time…
Posted by: ravisank (IP Logged) [hide posts from this user] …I am in a similar boat as some of you in this discussion thread… MBA wasnt good enough to get my foot into a finance role. How about learning a skill like SAS programming or doing something with C++. I see alot of quant jobs where one of the items asked for is C++. Check out all the job postings on Monster, Analytic Recruiting, and efinancial careers. Here is an example: Qualifications: * Ph.D. or Masters Degree in a quantitative field such as computer science, finance, economics, physics and statistics. * Two years of experience in a quantitative research setting required. * Experience with Matlab, SQL, SAS, Visual Basic, and C++. * Knowledge of financial asset pricing theory and econometrics. * Strong written and oral communication skills. * Ability to complete projects within deadlines while maintaining strict attention to detail. The computer skills just show that you’ll be able to do things on day one.
milkpump Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > if you have to take cfa to help you find a job, > “you won’t find a job”. cfa is really only good for > refining knowledge after you already have a job. DISHEARTENING 
btw, I will prove you wrong.
Red’s Cigar Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Buddham, you are working full-time, getting your > MBA part-time, and studying for CFA??? Wow. I’m doing the same thing! Its not as bad as people think… Just tailor your classes to overlap with some CFA topics and you’re golden! My job is understanding and they encourage further education. I took Financial Accounting and Corporate Finance while studying for level I and it covered 80-95% of te CFA materials for FSA & Corporate Finance;) [Note: I just took level 1 June and havent gotten my resuklts yet, so I’ll keep u updated…lol]