CFA or CPA?
For the uninitiated, CPA stands for 'Certified Practising Accountant', unlike 'Public' for the Americans, this one's from Australia. CFA is American, though, and stands for 'Chartered Financial Analyst'. I've been considering taking up membership from these two professional bodies. At the same time.
BUT (as it always is) after doing much reading-up on the CFA, I think I'll work on getting past my CPA exams first.
[Why is that, you may so kindly ask?]
Not because I think it looks tough, but because of practicality, so to speak. I don't mean that having the CFA designation behind your name is not KEWL or anything like that, but unless I plan on being unemployed for the next few years, sitting for the CFA and CPA exams simultaneously and FLUNKING(!!!) one or both, is not an option. Not to mention expensive. And embarassing. 'Embarassing' being the operative concept here.
Now, I know a lot of people who would tell me to 'rise up to the challenge!' and take both, to hell with pride, take that risk, etc etc. But when it comes to MONEY (CFA exams cost around $1000, not including the $500 registration fee; I'm rounding up the figures here), well, let's just say I'm not willing to take that risk when it comes to that.
And besides, there's that whole silly MENTOR program that both bodies require, which is gonna be a bit difficult, since my supervisor is supposed to be from that particular body. I doubt there are many who hold both CPA and CFA memberships around here, without intensive interrogation (and only that is possible after I've gotten a job), which would lead to very weird situations and coworkers looking at me cock-headed and saying, "Why do both?"
Being the only newbie there, well, I could hardly say, " 'Cuz I'm fucking competitive that way," now could I?
BUT (as it always is) after doing much reading-up on the CFA, I think I'll work on getting past my CPA exams first.
[Why is that, you may so kindly ask?]
Not because I think it looks tough, but because of practicality, so to speak. I don't mean that having the CFA designation behind your name is not KEWL or anything like that, but unless I plan on being unemployed for the next few years, sitting for the CFA and CPA exams simultaneously and FLUNKING(!!!) one or both, is not an option. Not to mention expensive. And embarassing. 'Embarassing' being the operative concept here.
Now, I know a lot of people who would tell me to 'rise up to the challenge!' and take both, to hell with pride, take that risk, etc etc. But when it comes to MONEY (CFA exams cost around $1000, not including the $500 registration fee; I'm rounding up the figures here), well, let's just say I'm not willing to take that risk when it comes to that.
And besides, there's that whole silly MENTOR program that both bodies require, which is gonna be a bit difficult, since my supervisor is supposed to be from that particular body. I doubt there are many who hold both CPA and CFA memberships around here, without intensive interrogation (and only that is possible after I've gotten a job), which would lead to very weird situations and coworkers looking at me cock-headed and saying, "Why do both?"
Being the only newbie there, well, I could hardly say, " 'Cuz I'm fucking competitive that way," now could I?