Knowing what I know now, in a heartbeat.
Knowing only what I did then (and not being forced to take it), no.
L1 helped tremendously in my job in corporate finance, also got my foot in the door for job interviews.
L2 helped set me apart from my peers, especially those with hacksaw mbas , helped gain respect from mds at er shops
hoping L3 helps place me in a more challenging, long-term career
100%. Studying for the exams actually made me better at my job, plus earning the designation gave me the respect of my peers. Plus I continue to get inquiries from recruiters about possible job ops that I firmly believe I would not be receiving without the letters, and so far I’ve been able to convert 2 of those into raises/promotions at my current employer. Lastly, the low cost of the program makes it a no-brainer.
The CFA takes many hours of study for not much tangible benefit which is why Charterholders tend to view it negatively. I think many people take the exams and expect that the Charter will elevate their career and that is simply not the case.
I still think there is value in the CFA. A lot is what you make of it. It got me in the door to ER. I would say though that I would rather of done my MBA first b/c time is less of a concern with the CFA. Now if I go get my MBA I’ll be towards the higher end of the middle 80% age range.
I never knew that we did that.
I should attend more CFA functions; I’m obviously out of touch with reality.
I don’t necessarily notice Charterholders viewing the charter negatively. They’re just negative people in general.
In my opinion, this is completely false.
This I agree with
Haha well played sir. I still stick by my old post. I retract in saying the CFA got my foot in the door solely; didn’t really mean it that way. It was a small piece/check of the box. What it did and still does is provide some initial credibility that I can understand basic financial concepts and more importantly, work hard.