So what's the big deal?

Why does earn want to earn the charter. I can't answer for everyone. Hell, my answer is different than most. It's actually a key to a dream. Ever since childhood I grew up wanting to work in one of those big gleaming office towers downtown. I wanted to be the guy working on Wall St. before I knew what they did. I have since refined my desire to be a great analyst. I want to be the talking head on CNN talking about th airline industry and why this new merger is / isn't a good idea. Will the charter get me on CNBC? Nope. However, it will get me a job as an analyst - even if not the chief industry analyst. Right now I am working as an accountant on Florida's atlantic coast. In fact, in a suburb of Daytona Beach. A charming town, but no investment bankers here. Plenty of accounting jobs, but not finance.



I have a BA and almost a decade of experience, but that is my weakness. I apply for positions as an analyst, my resume gets scanned into a computer which looks for keywords. It sees all the experience I have as an accountant and the computer sends my resume to HR. HR calls me back and says they have an opening in accounting that would be perfect for me. That's not what I applied for, but it's what they call about. With the charter, they will call me back for the job I want. What I want is quite simple really. I want to move to Atlanta (one of my favorite cities). I want a job as an analyst. I want to have at least the same standard of living after adjusting for the cost of living. I want to be involved in decision making. I want it all in the next few years. The CFA charter was the only thing I could find that can get me those things.



Most people who earn the charter already have jobs in finance. It's kind of like accounting. Most CPA candidates are already accountants, but they want more. I have nothing against CPAs, but it's about accounting and I want finance. No other designation is as valuable as a CFA in the field of finance.