CFA. You know you've made it when you have those three letters follow your name, distinguishing yourself as a highly skilled investment and wealth management professional. It also means that you have acquired your Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charter and have successfully passed all of the rigorous exams required for certification as well as completing the required number of hours working in your field.
The CFA Program is a comprehensive curriculum that offers you an opportunity to become a CFA Charterholder. It helps you advance your career and earn global recognition whether your goal is a career in analyzing securities, managing assets or mitigating risk. A CFA Charter demonstrates more than your technical knowledge; you'll show that you're an ethical person who adheres to the high standards expected of the most trusted financial analysts.
Career Fields For CFA Charterholders
The CFA Program is designed to showcase Charterholders as valuable assets for analyzing, selecting, and managing equities, fixed income, and derivative products. They help traditional investment advisers, like mutual funds, and alternative investments like hedge funds and private equity get the most out of their clients’ portfolios. CFA charterholders calculate their intrinsic values and protect their investors from risks such as inflation.
The CFA Program provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating the value of derivatives products and understanding the practices of professional arbitragers. A CFA Charterholder applies concepts from the curriculum to analyze their value.
Core Practice Areas For A CFA Charterholder
In addition to basic analysis, Charterholders can also work for corporations to analyze capital requirements and project budgeting using different techniques. They forecast future cash flows and what-if scenarios to determine how projects can be scaled. Charterholders also serve as risk analysts. Risk is an always-present factor in all areas of finance, and Charterholders are involved in various risks throughout the course of their businesses, and they are often involved with creditworthiness, operational, and reputational risks as well as exposure to financial investments.
Other Charterholders provide comprehensive insights into complex macro market economic structures. Factors driving supply and demand across the world can affect the domestic growth and production factors of every nation. Knowledge of international economics is essential to advising investors who want to deploy their capital into both foreign and domestic markets.
Ethics And Standards Distinction
The CFA Institute's unique code of ethics and standards of professional conduct are a benchmark and a model for all financial professionals who aspire to achieve CFA Charter status. Some portions of the CFA exams cover Ethics and Standards that demonstrate your integrity, protect your company, and protect your clients from financial harm. One responsibility of a Charterholder is to commit to incorporating their Charterholder status into their everyday practice.