One of the most often posed concerns for students seeking a career in commerce is how to become a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst).
A Certified Financial Analyst, as the name implies, examines and oversees the financial activities of their businesses and clients. They are in charge of numerous financial operations such as data research and collection, financial forecasting based on current patterns, report preparation, and so on.
What is the role of a Chartered Financial Analyst?
Portfolio management and investment advice are provided by chartered financial analysts to businesses and individuals. CFAs can work as investment bankers, portfolio managers, financial analysts, or research analysts.
How to become a Chartered Financial Analyst?
In India, obtaining the CFA certification would take at least 1.5 years. Given that it is one of the most sought-after job alternatives, the path to becoming one is difficult and time-consuming.
STEP 1- Choose relevant subjects in school
- CFA is a key commerce discipline, and knowing the fundamentals from a young age is advantageous.
- Individuals interested in studying CFA must have completed 10+2 with a focus on commerce and preferably studied courses such as accountancy, economics, mathematics, and social sciences.
- These disciplines are suggested but not required for studying CFA, making it a feasible career option for individuals who decide to pursue CFA after finishing the 12th.
STEP 2- Earn a Bachelor’s degree
- To become a CFA, you must first finish your three to four years of undergraduate studies and acquire a bachelor's degree.
- While a background in finance is not required, it will improve your chances of passing the CFA tests, which demand an extensive understanding of the business sector.
- Hence, if you want to pursue CFA in the long run but aren't sure which course is suitable for your undergraduate specialty, here are several commerce courses to consider:
STEP 3- Apply for the CFA certification test and pass all three levels.
- To become a CFA, you must pass three rounds of CFA Examinations over the course of 1.5 years.
Chartered Financial Analyst Scope & Careers
A Chartered Financial Analyst has access to a myriad of professional opportunities. A Certified Financial Analyst can work in a variety of sectors, including:
- Asset Management
- Capital Markets
- Corporate Banking
- Derivatives
- Equities
- Financial Consultant
- Insurance
- Investment Banking M&A
- Private Equity
- Portfolio Management
- Quantitative Analytics
- Research
- Risk Management
- Trading
- Wealth Management
Chartered Financial Analyst chooses to work among other job roles as:
|
Credit Analyst |
A credit analyst is a person hired by a company to assess the creditworthiness of customers and potential customers, as well as to aid in the continuing management and modeling of credit risk. |
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Chief-Level Executive |
A company's highest-ranking official is the chief executive. While every firm is different, Chief Executives are frequently in charge of growing the company, increasing profitability, and, in the case of public corporations, increasing share prices. Top executives oversee a company's overall operations. |
|
Equity Research Analyst |
Equity research analysts do research on public firms and make recommendations to investors on whether to buy, sell, or hold certain stocks. Equity research analysts are employed by both sell-side brokerage companies and buy-side funds. |
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Financial Analyst |
A financial analyst is a professional that does financial analysis for external or internal clients as part of their employment. Securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, investment analyst, or rating analyst are all possible job titles. |
|
Investment Banking Analysts |
Analysts in investment banking are entry-level professionals that assist associates and investment bankers with stock and debt offerings, valuations, private placements, leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic advising work. |
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Portfolio Managers |
Portfolio managers are in charge of making investment decisions. They create and implement investment strategies and processes to suit client objectives and limitations, build and manage portfolios, and make choices on what and when to purchase and sell investments. |
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Research Analysts |
Research analysts are experts that assist businesses to make sound decisions by extracting actionable information from market research. Because of their capacity to extract the maximum value from data, these specialists have become vital in many firms. |
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Supply Chain Analysts |
A Supply Chain Analyst examines data and methodologies to forecast and enhance a company's product and service delivery to customers. To generate a profit, an organization's supply chain must work smoothly and effectively, making the supply chain analyst a critical job. |
Chartered Financial Analyst Top Recruiters
Companies looking for CFA professionals include:
- Pricewaterhouse Coopers
- Bank of America
- JP Morgan Chase
- HSBC
- Morgan Stanley
- Credit Suisse
- Wells Fargo
- CitiGroup
- RBC
- The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
- Ernst & Young
- UBS
- Crisil
- Wells Fargo
Questions related to CFA
