Hi, I cleared level 1june 2009, and have registered for level 2 june 2010 and cant find any job these days so worst comes to worst i ll have to sit at home and prepare for the exam… i am only a finance graduate with a level 1 …do u think, considering the competition and difficulty level of level 2…its a suicide mission to risk 1 year by sitting at home and preparing…its obvious that its a big risk but all i am looking here for is some suggestions and advices from people who have done it… or is it that taking this big of a risk is not realistic …please guide !!!
who says you cant study and look for work at the same time? most people including myself here work a fulltime job while preparing for the CFA exams…
I worked full time and spent much time with my familiy 2 small kids while completing all 3 levels. If you can’t study and look for work at the same time using an entire year, then you’ve got a problem! You are not risking anything, just go ahead!
yea passing CFA with nothing else to do is not really an accomplishment. The reason CFA is valuable is because people are motivated enough to study for it while gaining experience by holding pretty good full time jobs. Don’t forget you need 4 years of relevant experience to get the charter. I don’t have kids, but I was studying for L2 while working 50-60 hour weeks for 4 months. Passing CFA right after school with finance degree is not really a big of a deal and won’t get you anywhere by itself. Getting a job and networking should be your priority at this point with level 2 on the side. If you haven’t done this in school already, join local CFA society and attend their events, which should be a great networking opportunity.
Networking is the key. I was told by people in the industry that the requirement for entry level analyst job is now with L3 passed, YMMV.
Clearing level 1 doesn’t mean much nor does clearing level 3 without proper work experience. So keep on looking for jobs that can provide a steping stone: treasury, operations, or something you always been interested in doing but never got the time too which would be a great lead into grad school.
I think your best bet now is to get some sort of works going on while preparing for your L2 and to network with people. Entering graduate school could work too (Master’s usually takes 12-16 months). With the financial market meltdown in last year, the job market has been performing poorly. So get some sort of stepping stone first before moving in.
CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > yea passing CFA with nothing else to do is not > really an accomplishment. The reason CFA is > valuable is because people are motivated enough to > study for it while gaining experience by holding > pretty good full time jobs. Don’t forget you need > 4 years of relevant experience to get the charter. > I don’t have kids, but I was studying for L2 while > working 50-60 hour weeks for 4 months. > > Passing CFA right after school with finance degree > is not really a big of a deal and won’t get you > anywhere by itself. Getting a job and networking > should be your priority at this point with level 2 > on the side. If you haven’t done this in school > already, join local CFA society and attend their > events, which should be a great networking > opportunity. “YEA PASSING CFA WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO IS NOT REALLY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT” That may be the most ignorant thing I’ve ever heard. Wow. And Im not bias as I study LI and LII first time and worked a heck of a lot more hrs. than you but to say something like that is ridiculous, I hope you were kidding. Yes, you need 4 yrs. experience and yes I think the program is more “valuable” if you are working in the industry, but work or no work it’s still a damn tough exam.
> but work or no work it’s still a damn tough exam. No it’s not. In fact it’s easy given plenty of time.
Bucephalus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > but work or no work it’s still a damn tough > exam. > > No it’s not. In fact it’s easy given plenty of > time. Time to study or to take the exam?
Canadianloco Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > “YEA PASSING CFA WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO IS NOT > REALLY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT” > > That may be the most ignorant thing I’ve ever > heard. Wow. > > And Im not bias as I study LI and LII first time > and worked a heck of a lot more hrs. than you but > to say something like that is ridiculous, I hope > you were kidding. > > Yes, you need 4 yrs. experience and yes I think > the program is more “valuable” if you are working > in the industry, but work or no work it’s still a > damn tough exam. No I wasn’t kidding, and if you worked heck of a lot more hours that me, then you should know what I mean. If you didn’t have to work how much easier would it be to pass CFA? Maybe if you don’t have relevant background it can be tougher but it’s not quantum physics, far far from it. And if you are out business undergrad with finance degree like OP here, with no job, yea there is nothing impressive about passing CFA given amount of free time. It still shows one is serious about the learning and career etc., but it’s not like he/she would finish CFA exam and dream job would land in his/her lap.
CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > No I wasn’t kidding, and if you worked heck of a > lot more hours that me, then you should know what > I mean. If you didn’t have to work how much easier > would it be to pass CFA? Maybe if you don’t have > relevant background it can be tougher but it’s not > quantum physics, far far from it. And if you are > out business undergrad with finance degree like OP > here, with no job, yea there is nothing impressive > about passing CFA given amount of free time. It > still shows one is serious about the learning and > career etc., but it’s not like he/she would finish > CFA exam and dream job would land in his/her lap. > I agree with you about the difficulty… The hardest material that I have studied for the CFA was easier than the easiest material that I studied in college. Sure, there is a LOT of CFA material, but without a time constraint, it would not be difficult to learn everything. However, that is not to say that the CFA is useless. Taking CFA exams can be valuable way to demonstrate your motivation or love of finance. This applies even if you are unemployed. It is far better to say “I took the opportunity to pass the CFA exams” than “I just sat on my ass for most of the time”.
^ What Mr. Walrus said.
CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Canadianloco Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > > > “YEA PASSING CFA WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO IS NOT > > REALLY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT” > > > > That may be the most ignorant thing I’ve ever > > heard. Wow. > > > > And Im not bias as I study LI and LII first > time > > and worked a heck of a lot more hrs. than you > but > > to say something like that is ridiculous, I > hope > > you were kidding. > > > > Yes, you need 4 yrs. experience and yes I think > > the program is more “valuable” if you are > working > > in the industry, but work or no work it’s still > a > > damn tough exam. > > No I wasn’t kidding, and if you worked heck of a > lot more hours that me, then you should know what > I mean. If you didn’t have to work how much easier > would it be to pass CFA? Maybe if you don’t have > relevant background it can be tougher but it’s not > quantum physics, far far from it. And if you are > out business undergrad with finance degree like OP > here, with no job, yea there is nothing impressive > about passing CFA given amount of free time. It > still shows one is serious about the learning and > career etc., but it’s not like he/she would finish > CFA exam and dream job would land in his/her lap. youre an auditor jackass, how does that help you at all. youre just the same as the doode sitting on his ass not working.
I_Passed_Level_1 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Canadianloco Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > > > > > > “YEA PASSING CFA WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO IS > NOT > > > REALLY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT” > > > > > > That may be the most ignorant thing I’ve ever > > > heard. Wow. > > > > > > And Im not bias as I study LI and LII first > > time > > > and worked a heck of a lot more hrs. than you > > but > > > to say something like that is ridiculous, I > > hope > > > you were kidding. > > > > > > Yes, you need 4 yrs. experience and yes I > think > > > the program is more “valuable” if you are > > working > > > in the industry, but work or no work it’s > still > > a > > > damn tough exam. > > > > No I wasn’t kidding, and if you worked heck of > a > > lot more hours that me, then you should know > what > > I mean. If you didn’t have to work how much > easier > > would it be to pass CFA? Maybe if you don’t > have > > relevant background it can be tougher but it’s > not > > quantum physics, far far from it. And if you > are > > out business undergrad with finance degree like > OP > > here, with no job, yea there is nothing > impressive > > about passing CFA given amount of free time. It > > still shows one is serious about the learning > and > > career etc., but it’s not like he/she would > finish > > CFA exam and dream job would land in his/her > lap. > > > youre an auditor jackass, how does that help you > at all. youre just the same as the doode sitting > on his ass not working. runs to grab popcorn n a comfie spot on couch,…hey u goiung to let him talk to you like that?
I_Passed_Level_1 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Canadianloco Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > > > > > > “YEA PASSING CFA WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO IS > NOT > > > REALLY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT” > > > > > > That may be the most ignorant thing I’ve ever > > > heard. Wow. > > > > > > And Im not bias as I study LI and LII first > > time > > > and worked a heck of a lot more hrs. than you > > but > > > to say something like that is ridiculous, I > > hope > > > you were kidding. > > > > > > Yes, you need 4 yrs. experience and yes I > think > > > the program is more “valuable” if you are > > working > > > in the industry, but work or no work it’s > still > > a > > > damn tough exam. > > > > No I wasn’t kidding, and if you worked heck of > a > > lot more hours that me, then you should know > what > > I mean. If you didn’t have to work how much > easier > > would it be to pass CFA? Maybe if you don’t > have > > relevant background it can be tougher but it’s > not > > quantum physics, far far from it. And if you > are > > out business undergrad with finance degree like > OP > > here, with no job, yea there is nothing > impressive > > about passing CFA given amount of free time. It > > still shows one is serious about the learning > and > > career etc., but it’s not like he/she would > finish > > CFA exam and dream job would land in his/her > lap. > > > youre an auditor jackass, how does that help you > at all. youre just the same as the doode sitting > on his ass not working. What’s important is I know how CFA helps me, the question is how does calling people jackasses help you? Not even sure what your second comment meant.
CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I_Passed_Level_1 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > Canadianloco Wrote: > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > ----- > > > > > > > > > > > “YEA PASSING CFA WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO IS > > NOT > > > > REALLY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT” > > > > > > > > That may be the most ignorant thing I’ve > ever > > > > heard. Wow. > > > > > > > > And Im not bias as I study LI and LII first > > > time > > > > and worked a heck of a lot more hrs. than > you > > > but > > > > to say something like that is ridiculous, I > > > hope > > > > you were kidding. > > > > > > > > Yes, you need 4 yrs. experience and yes I > > think > > > > the program is more “valuable” if you are > > > working > > > > in the industry, but work or no work it’s > > still > > > a > > > > damn tough exam. > > > > > > No I wasn’t kidding, and if you worked heck > of > > a > > > lot more hours that me, then you should know > > what > > > I mean. If you didn’t have to work how much > > easier > > > would it be to pass CFA? Maybe if you don’t > > have > > > relevant background it can be tougher but > it’s > > not > > > quantum physics, far far from it. And if you > > are > > > out business undergrad with finance degree > like > > OP > > > here, with no job, yea there is nothing > > impressive > > > about passing CFA given amount of free time. > It > > > still shows one is serious about the learning > > and > > > career etc., but it’s not like he/she would > > finish > > > CFA exam and dream job would land in his/her > > lap. > > > > > > youre an auditor jackass, how does that help > you > > at all. youre just the same as the doode > sitting > > on his ass not working. > > What’s important is I know how CFA helps me, the > question is how does calling people jackasses help > you? Not even sure what your second comment > meant. .
I worked full time and spent much time with my familiy 2 small kids while completing all 3 levels. That was hard! I didn’t have time for friends, football or television. And I was dead tired all the time. How can anyone claim that passing the 3 levels is hard when you don’t have kids or job??? If you study hard, you may study 4 hours per day for 5 months (=600 hours) per level. That’s nothing if you’re not doing anything else!!!
CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I_Passed_Level_1 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > CFA=NOLIFE Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > Canadianloco Wrote: > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > ----- > > > > > > > > > > > “YEA PASSING CFA WITH NOTHING ELSE TO DO IS > > NOT > > > > REALLY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT” > > > > > > > > That may be the most ignorant thing I’ve > ever > > > > heard. Wow. > > > > > > > > And Im not bias as I study LI and LII first > > > time > > > > and worked a heck of a lot more hrs. than > you > > > but > > > > to say something like that is ridiculous, I > > > hope > > > > you were kidding. > > > > > > > > Yes, you need 4 yrs. experience and yes I > > think > > > > the program is more “valuable” if you are > > > working > > > > in the industry, but work or no work it’s > > still > > > a > > > > damn tough exam. > > > > > > No I wasn’t kidding, and if you worked heck > of > > a > > > lot more hours that me, then you should know > > what > > > I mean. If you didn’t have to work how much > > easier > > > would it be to pass CFA? Maybe if you don’t > > have > > > relevant background it can be tougher but > it’s > > not > > > quantum physics, far far from it. And if you > > are > > > out business undergrad with finance degree > like > > OP > > > here, with no job, yea there is nothing > > impressive > > > about passing CFA given amount of free time. > It > > > still shows one is serious about the learning > > and > > > career etc., but it’s not like he/she would > > finish > > > CFA exam and dream job would land in his/her > > lap. > > > > > > youre an auditor jackass, how does that help > you > > at all. youre just the same as the doode > sitting > > on his ass not working. > > What’s important is I know how CFA helps me, the > question is how does calling people jackasses help > you? Not even sure what your second comment > meant. but you will never be able to put those 3 letters behind your name because your work experience comprises of bean counting
I_Passed_Level_1 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > but you will never be able to put those 3 letters > behind your name because your work experience > comprises of bean counting wow you really have no idea, do you…never say never and check your facts before posting or just never post.