I am a techie (s/w professional) and I gave my lvl 1 this June. I am not looking to move into pure financial jobs but remain in companies that develop financial software. I am sure there are a lot of people with similar situation. My thinking was an s/w engineering + CFA certification would look like a very good combination for IT in financial companies. But it looks like people have very little idea what CFA is, out side core financial domain. There are people who think its CPA or worse they think its just another certification. So is it even worth going all the way to level 3? Has anayone else in my shoes felt if it was worth it if one wants to stay in tech profession? I am never going to get a charter because my job description is not what CFA institute demands.
I personally think that the most important thing in your role is industry knowledge. CFA level 1 is useful to clarify the concepts. Having said I dont think that anyone would care whether you have CFA or not in your role.
i used to do s/w for a financial services company? which company do you work for? or what kind of software is it?
I am a consultant and working for asset management firm. I have worked in portfolio analytics groups and trading systems. I have worked in front/back and middle office systems.
I have a role in recruiting software devs in the financial industry and I would DEFINITELY consider any mention of “CFA” on the resume as a sign the person is interested in the domain. Most software devs and managers I know in the industry also know what CFA is. If the company you’re interviewing with can’t tell CFA from CPA, it’s probably not the place for you anyway given your interest.
learncpga - CFA Charter is not a mere certification. Please don’t call it a certification. That is what I believe. This is a commitment towards growth in the industry. Sorry don’t consider this to be harsh. It is just a thought. I too belong to Tech background working for an asset management company. And I too doubt getting the Charter so soon because of the financial experience required. Surely by reading the curriculum you will gain enough knowledge that will give you an edge in the Domain in IT comps. But if you work so hard, you are not merely doing that to just get a certification. It is the knowledge level which will count. I am looking to move to a core financial mkts profile after I complete 2-3 levels. Hope it works out well.
Also there are people who are not aware of what CFA is, as you said. But you still know what it takes to complete this. You know what you are worth. Don’t even consider them, if they don’t know what you are worth. Always better to work for a company who knows what your worth is.
“******learncpga - CFA Charter is not a mere certification. Please don’t call it a certification. That is what I believe. This is a commitment towards growth in the industry. Sorry don’t consider this to be harsh. It is just a thought. ****” I DIDN’T say that. I just gave lvl 1 and I worked my ass off to do well in the exam and I know what it takes and what it will take in future. If you read my original post carefully… "There are people who think its CPA or worse they think its just another certification. "
Ed.Markovich Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have a role in recruiting software devs in the > financial industry and I would DEFINITELY consider > any mention of “CFA” on the resume as a sign the > person is interested in the domain. Most software > devs and managers I know in the industry also know > what CFA is. If the company you’re interviewing > with can’t tell CFA from CPA, it’s probably not > the place for you anyway given your interest. Ed, Do you recruit in the field of information security for finance industries ??
I am in a similar situation. I just got my phd in an IT related field. I’ll present level 1 in December. Taking the exams I am hoping to fetch a financing or investment role later on and because I have a strong interest in the subject matter. In addition, the city I am working in has so much financial service firms, it is hard to follow after-work discussion without any knowledge about the very basics of finance 