With the ever-changing forms of outsourcing, has anyone ever thought about the future of financial analysis in the US or other developed markets? I’m trying to understand whether actually earning the charter will make a difference. I mean some financial analyst jobs are already being outsourced to India. Any thoughts?
well…i m from india…i think i should make some point over here…it is true that jobs are being outsourced from US to india and other developing countries but however i would say CFA exam was something not very known in india. most of guys here go for MBA after graduation but recent ban on CFA institute to conduct exam in india because it wasnot yet approved by technical education counsel,made it quite famous here. and infact recent market research by cfa institutue,number of participant almost doubled in last year. BUT still most of us feel abit concerned to choose CFA over MBA and it is yet to be well recongnized by companies. financial analysis is yet in budding stage and most of MBA graduate take this opportunity.so being a CFA really a great advantage. ( personal views)
Although I don’t think ER will ever be what it was in the late 90’s, I also don’t think of every value added finance job is going to the Apu’s of the world. There will always be a market for intelligence.
CFA_Halifax Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Although I don’t think ER will ever be what it was > in the late 90’s, I also don’t think of every > value added finance job is going to the Apu’s of > the world. There will always be a market for > intelligence. Wow… “There will always be a market for intelligence.” … considering the state of American education and resulting lack of ppl w/ solid math/ tech skills- your point is ironic. I think that is just the reason so many of these roles are heading to Asia. I am a girl w/ a liberal arts school history education and am daily amazed by the general ineptitude of my typical office-mate when it comes to basic computer/math skills. I hate the fact that here the “I don’t ‘do’/ ‘get’ math” attitude is something that is almost proudly expressed. … wtf… when did that become cool or something to be proud of. I’m one of the few mid-20’s girls I know that read VBA books at the pool on the weekends instead of USWeekly. I think THAT’s cool (and I’m cuter too) 
prove it!
I’ve got the CFA Charter and I try to be a quality ambassador of the credential. All of my collagues have their CFAs hanging in their offices so I felt somewhat compelled to display mine. But back to the point of the question, which is really “What is Willy doing to increase the value of the CFA designation”. I honestly do a few simple, basic basic things: 1. At work I try to dress “crisp”. Crisp white shirt [always] nice conservative suit, not flashy but you can tell it was more than $500+ [my own personal benchmark for “a good suit”]. 2. I write clear and precise e-mails. 3. I always shave myself really well in the morning. 4. My office is always neat and clean. Willy
I don’t see how the outsourcing of ER jobs to places like India devalues the CFA charter. As far as I can tell, Indians are very interested in getting the CFA Charter and it will be important there (though the issues with the Indian CFAI might muck things up a bit in the short run). In any case, there’s a whole lot more to asset management than ER, and India will need to have better intellectual property protections in place before key intellectual assets will feel safe locating there. There will of course be local Indian processes being created there, but those may in fact choose to move quickly to locations where they can protect their intellectual investments. Indians will come up with brilliant ideas, as they have through much of recorded history, but they will seek to locate their key intellectual assets in places where they can be effectively protected. As for math and science and engineering in the US. It’s an interesting policy issue. On the one hand, there’s a lament that the US doesn’t produce enough scientists and engineers; on the other hand, as one looks at the global outsourcing of engineering talent to lower labor-cost countries and the importation of science and engineering talent to the US at lower-than-domestic prices, would one feel comfortable about telling your college-bound son or daughter to go into an industry where jobs are disappearing because there is low-cost talent elsewhere? There’s a vicious circle here. Personally, I think a liberal arts education that forces one to do some math and science, and encourages people to think logically and critically is the best route. Technical skills are key to getting the jobs early on, but the softer skills and strategic thinking are pretty important for being effective later on.
“I’m one of the few mid-20’s girls I know that read VBA books at the pool on the weekends instead of USWeekly. I think THAT’s cool (and I’m cuter too) ;)” You had my full agreement until this one…wow. VBA by the pool, come on.
akanska Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m one of the few mid-20’s girls I know that read > VBA books at the pool on the weekends instead of > USWeekly. I think THAT’s cool (and I’m cuter too) > Pics or ban.
WillyR Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’ve got the CFA Charter and I try to be a quality > ambassador of the credential. All of my collagues > have their CFAs hanging in their offices so I felt > somewhat compelled to display mine. But back to > the point of the question, which is really “What > is Willy doing to increase the value of the CFA > designation”. I honestly do a few simple, basic > basic things: > > 1. At work I try to dress “crisp”. Crisp white > shirt nice conservative suit, not flashy but you > can tell it was more than $500+ . > 2. I write clear and precise e-mails. > 3. I always shave myself really well in the > morning. > 4. My office is always neat and clean. > > > Willy Wow, what a great way to add value to the CFA charter!
It is a CFA ethics violation to publish unsubstantiated claims of cuteness without providing supporting evidence and measurements.
“3. I always shave myself really well in the morning.” I didn’t shave the entire week before the Level II exam this year. I think that added value to the designation overall.
“It is a CFA ethics violation to publish unsubstantiated claims of cuteness without providing supporting evidence and measurements.” She is unsure of the definition of current cuteness as she reads VBA books by the pool instead of USweekly. How would she even know the “stars are just like us”? They go to starbucks and pick up their own dry-cleaning too!
akanska Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m one of the few mid-20’s girls I know that read > VBA books at the pool on the weekends instead of > USWeekly. I think THAT’s cool (and I’m cuter too) > I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt here, but in my experience, girls who read VBA books are not cuter than girls who read USWeekly. Given the choice between two blind dates, and all I know about them is one reads USWeekly, and the other is a CFA Candidate who reads VBA books, I’m going with USWeekly, no doubt, every time. I figure one time out of a hundred (maybe a thousand), I’d regret it. As for the future of the CFA designation, even with outsourcing, I believe having the charter will still add immense value to an investment professional. Also, I would suspect that assuming there was some kind of mass offshoring of finance/investment jobs, there would still be some jobs left over in the domestic markets. Of those finance and investment jobs remaining, CFA charter holders are likely to be top candidates for those leftover positions.
Gouman Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > akanska Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > I’m one of the few mid-20’s girls I know that > read > > VBA books at the pool on the weekends instead > of > > USWeekly. I think THAT’s cool (and I’m cuter > too) > > > > > I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt here, but > in my experience, girls who read VBA books are not > cuter than girls who read USWeekly. If I remember correctly from the recent silly thread about Moscow, Akanska is Polish. Therefore it’s very possible that she reads VBA and is quite cute. Eastern European women might be the best bargain on the planet (So says the guy who married a 5’10" Eastern European who is certainly “all that” and also spent some time working toward a PhD in Economics.)
Akanska is Polish? If true, she’s a ringer. (So says the guy who married a Polish girl)
Akanska is Polish? If true, she sounds hot. (So says the guy who likes to digitally manipulate his reverse Polish calculator)
I agree, Eastern European women are usually a good deal. Why couldn’t the Soviets have played nice??
Eastern Europeans are either a hit or a big miss, with virtually no middle ground. Also, thinking longer term, eastern euro broads looks do not seem to last into middle ages and beyond, compared to norwegians, and western europeans IMO. My neighborhood in LA is full of eastern european chicks. I see mothers and daughters walking together all the time. Daughters = hit or big miss no middle ground. Mothers = 99% shot to the curb. Extrapolation, you have about two decades MAX before you have to trade up, assuming you snag here in your mid twenties. Although, as I think about it, this probably applies to 99% percent of women in general, not just eastern euros.
Cute and reads VBA by the pool? nice combo akanska, you have my vote 