Quote: (05-18-2013 10:09 PM)Dexter Morgan Wrote:
Get a CFA. The knowledge alone is worth it. Level one is tough, but if you take a review class, it will be easier.
When people tell you "Less education is better - TRUST ME!", ask yourself: Is that usually true?
Just saw this and this is false. The CFA is not needed for Wall Street, don't believe me go look up Qatalyst partners, i will do it for you guys.
http://www.qatalyst.com/team.html#quattrone
How many people at one of the best Tech M&A shops have the CFA you ask? How about 1 in the entire firm of 30+ people?
Also all those guys with CFA's that run hedge fund portfolios or even long-only funds... Warren Buffet CFA? No.
Go ahead and google the top 40 hedge fund managers... see how many are CFA... here's the list have a blast.
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2013/hedge-f..._land.html
I will say one positive thing about the CFA, it protects your downside, IE with a CFA you're generally in a higher pay bracket if you ever get fired. Saying everyone should get it or needs it is BS though. You can run this test at any investment bank or hedge fund. Go to their Managing director list and see how many CFA's you see in investment banking.
The best places for the CFA is equity research/asset management. For Investment banking or a hedge fund though, it is 100% not needed and you can run the numbers to see the truth.