There are many possible careers in the world of finance, some more interesting and varied than others. The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is one of the most rewarding of all, and there is great demand for talented CFAs in many different roles. What makes a CFA such an interesting role? The simple fact is a CFA could be involved in one of many areas of financial analysis: stock markets, investment, bonds and more are all part of the necessary knowledge of a qualified CFA, so you could choose to specialize in one of many fields. We’ve had a look at some excellent resources to help you on your way to your new career, but first, let’s consider if you are the right person for the role.
First and foremost, a CFA is not a mere accountant; you will be required to offer expert advice on investments, for example, or to provide detailed analysis of markets. Your skill set will be based firmly on your analytical skills, so if this is you, you may be the perfect candidate for the CFA exam. Also, you will need to apply yourself to dedicated study, perhaps for four years and many hundreds of hours, so you need to be able to set aside the time and suitable space to achieve this. Fortunately, there is plenty of study material available that will help you plan your study in detail, so you get a step ahead of the rest.
Choosing Your Study Materials
With such a range of study packages on offer, we urge you not to simply buy the first one you see, but to check out the many options. Some have more features than others – for example, while some have 3000 practice questions, the Bloomberg CFA test prep package features 8000. This is just one example, and there are many more to be considered for their variable options.
You will also need to familiarise yourself with the first level, so we recommend you purchase the CFA level one books and take the time to study those, too. If all of this sounds expensive, you may be surprised to find it is all affordable, but more than that it is definitely money well spent when you are finally holding the accreditation you need for a lucrative career.
Stress-Free Exams
If the thought of those final exams causes you to worry, you are not alone; nobody enjoys exams, but there are ways to make them as stress-free as possible. We suggest you check out all the information on study materials and practice exams at the excellent website CrushTheCFAExam.com and take the time to read all the information there and consider your options. You won’t find a better site for well-researched, relevant information on the different features in all the various packages, as well as current prices. Check it out now and you’ll see it is an essential resource and one that will certainly help you on your path to accreditation as a CFA.