What Can I Do with My CFA® charter?

Before we start any course, we always keep contemplating whether to do it or not. However, in the case of pursuing Chartered Financial Analyst course, people often ponder over the decision harder as the course demands investment in terms of time, money and efforts.

Questions such as:

Is it worth getting into?

What will life after look like?

Where will my career path go? CFA® charter look like?

How much I will earn?

And much more questions like that.

We have detailed the most common job titles of the charter-holders, to give you a clear picture of your career options.

Did you know?

• 22-24% of the Charters are employed as Portfolio Managers.
• Globally, 15% of the  Charter should the position of a Research Analyst.
• As per the stats, approx. 5% of the charter-holders work as a Financial Risk Manager.
• 6% of the  Charters around the world work as consultants.
• As per the statistics, 5% of the Charters choose to work as a Relationship Manager after being a charter-holder.
• 5% of the Charters work as Financial Analysts.
• Around 7% of the  Charters globally have made it to the C-suite.

 
Portfolio Manager

Portfolio managers oversee a fund or group funds. They spend their days working with researchers, clients and analysts to stay on top of the business news and markets. As the market fluctuates, they are the ones to take the decisions of buying and selling of assets. But it’s not just the course that helps you to become a successful portfolio manager. What makes a portfolio manager successful is their ability to see beyond the surface and make an informed choice for the clients using their analytical skills, experience and vision about the possible risks and rewards.

Research Analyst

Though a vague job title, these analysts play a vital and specific role in the business world. Their work primarily revolves around analysing the events that have already happened and make future predictions. To predict, they use a combination of mathematical processes and qualitative data. They can process a batch of data and provide recommendation exclusively based on it. Such projections and recommendations are extremely helpful to companies in determining their future direction, prioritising goals and activities and much more.

Risk Manager

“Risk” an inevitable part of every business. So, what a Risk Manager does is predicts and manages them. It is their job to analyse the effects of the risks and make sure that the company is able to cope up and avoid them.

Financial Advisor

A financial advisor advises and guides firms or individuals on making an investment and other finance-related decision. Their decisions direct the companies or individuals to get better returns on investment. They also help individuals achieve their short and long term financial goals by helping them set the financial plan and roadmap to achieve the set goals. On a few occasions, Financial Advisors are also seen as doing the role of a tax advisor.

Consultant

As the name suggests, they provide professional advice and suggestions, on financial matters, that will benefit a firm. Companies either hire a consultant or take services from independent professionals to get an expert perspective to economic forecasts and analysis, business valuations and identifying opportunities to grow shareholder value.

Relationship Manager

As the name suggests, it is the job of a Relationship Manager to build, maintain, manage and improvise a critical corporate relationship. By taking an active role in sustaining and analysing its current status along with the factors influencing it, they work on minimising or removing volatility from a business relationship.

Corporate Financial Analyst

A person who analyses a company’s financial statements, tax rates, expenses and more to develop an understanding of where it makes money from and where it loses its money. Many assume Research Analysts and Corporate Financial Analysts to be the same. However, what differentiates between them is the later goes beyond the data inputs to form their analysis. Depending on their research and considering macro and microeconomics, they provide their advice. When it comes to making decisions for investments, they are considered to be a critical advisor.

Chief Executive

Last but the highest and senior most officers in the corporate, a Chief Executive is responsible for managing a profit organisation. It is his/her job to maximise the value of the entity. Decision making, leadership, managing and executing – these are the key characteristics, along with others, of a Charter at the chief executive level. He can be a successful entrepreneur

The list mentioned above may be the path chosen by many after completing the course, but it doesn’t have to be yours as well. You can always have faith in your education, capabilities and experience to take the road less travelled. Forex Analyst, Education/Training, Entrepreneur, Financial Writer, Fintech and many more are the options open to you being a  charter-holder. It may be uncommon, but the reward is worth the risk.

CFA Institute does not endorse, promote, or warrant the accuracy or quality of the products or services offered by Ims Proschool. CFA® charter /charterholder are trademarks owned by CFA Institute.