QUOTE(keelim @ Jun 6 2008, 06:40 PM)
What if we are working in corporate finance department of a Big corporation? Is it relevant? Please clarify clngu. Your help will be much appreciated.
To earn the CFA charter, you must have at least 4 years of professional experience in the finance sector.
QUOTE
1. Four years (48 months) of work experience in ...
2. A full-time position consisting of ...
3. Qualifying activities, such as:
Evaluating and applying financial, economic, or statistical data involving securities or other investments, or producing work that adds value to the process
Supervising persons who practice such activities
Teaching such activities
I believe doing corporate finance is fine.
Before you'll be considered for the charter, you need to first pass all the CFA papers. If you have a degree, you can take the exams no matter what your first degree is (no work experience needed). Otherwise, you must have worked in the finance industry for at least 4(?) years.
Corporate finance (subject) is just one of the topics (about 10?) covered in the exams. Personally I think experience in the industry only helps little. Say you yourself works in the corporate finance department, do you do anything related to financial statement analysis, economics, hedge funds, bonds, derivatives, etc etc etc? Maybe some but not all that is covered in the exam.
It's tough because most of us who take it are working professionals. During weekdays how many hours can you spend on studying? I myself can only squeeze out maximum 3 hours. I've been doing that quite consistently. Two words - NO LIFE. Weekends? I used to take classes but not for this level because it was very exhausting. I'd rather study on my own during weekends. Topics covered are too many. Besides theories and stuff, you're expected to remember all the formula (near hundreds?) by heart. Formula sheet is not given. There's no time referring to the sheet during exam anyway.
This post has been edited by iamsobloodysick: Jun 6 2008, 11:36 PM