Sagar...
what exactly was your job, even if it was for 2 months.
ER is a broad term, have a look at the firms in the link above, a lot of slightly different job profiles exist. Like someone else mentioned earlier in this thread these HR tend to be very specific( "narrow minded") about the type of resume they seek. A mistake people make is to send the same resume to all of them. IMHO before applying for a job it's worthy to inquire about the job profile and present your resume similarly. The certification/course/project/research which can be useful depends upon the sought job profile.

thanks for the reply Punit, I really appreciate .
Currently i am looking for a job. I have no work experience as yet except that i worked as financial analyst in a kpo that too for just two months. As i posted earlier, I am looking to get into IB or ER & would like to get your thoughts on it.

best regards,
sagar

Hi Sagar,
Engineering + MBA Fin itself is pretty good education. What is your current job profile?
Depending on personal taste you can gradually shift from financial marketing to financial research while at the same time earning a certification. There are hell lot of courses offered all over the country chose one which suits your (aspiring) job profile.

Hi Punit I am Sagar from Mumbai and a MBA in Finance and having an engineering background, i wish to get into IB or ER. Please guide me about how should i go about it, like which certifications i should go for ,eg cfa cma, etc

earlier i had inquired about a course in IB and ER conducted by CBA along with NSE. would it be useful. please help

List of ER firms, prop firms,hedge funds and PE funds from the same site: The Traders Forum ? Careers in trading, investment research and financial markets

List of financial education providers in India

i heard XIMB starting is starting a course named 'Program in financial planning & Wealth management' (FPWM) in delhi for 6 months ..it seems to be good ,i mean XIMB faculty !. Any one has any other review ?

Hello,

I am preparing for MBA for next year.So will it be good idea to pursue CFA side by side.

I am working now in mfg industry.Can you guide me where to look for such jobs i mean sites etc.

Thanks

Dear All,

Thanks for your valuable replies.

Would CFA degree help me in geeting into M&A; advisory services/market analysis.So far what i have observed,investment banking,credit rating agencies firms do not recurit fresh CA.I have searched sites like naukri.com and found that these companies take exp people.

Yes you are correct, IB and Top CRA's don't take fresh Chartered Accountants in recruitment, they take either Chartered Accountants who
have prior experience or are Rank Holders or Passed in one go. I was working
with a leading CRA and so know the profile of people working there. See CFA
(AIMR)is a great qualification and for getting that they need 4 yrs of work ex, so all in all you get work ex and ur degree also...But it all depends upon your work ex and knowledge, even after CA/CFA or any other coveted degree if you are not upto their expectation...u will get a reject. The purpose of any degree is to give knowledge and recognition...dats it. After that how you make use of that creates your path. No degree in world can guarantee a job in your dream field but will definitely give you an opportunity to hit upon.
If it's possible for you, go for a top tier MBA, IB's and CRA's do recruit directly from their even if you don't have much or any experience...But Mind it, Your college should be of the Top League.....

Dear All,

Thanks for your valuable replies.

Would CFA degree help me in geeting into M&A; advisory services/market analysis.So far what i have observed,investment banking,credit rating agencies firms do not recurit fresh CA.I have searched sites like naukri.com and found that these companies take exp people.

I talked a bit about networking http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/career-discussions/12326-need-some-opinions-on-cfa-154.html#post2147434 and people think it is about getting a jack, connection etc. but actually its all about maintaining goodwill and visibility...

Cheers.

IMHO for a CA targeting M&A; can be very rewarding, you will have a very specialized career profile. The jobs are few but still a significant supply-demand mismatch.

You may like to consider online courses from NYIF: Mergers & Acquisitions - Online Training Course

If you can afford to study abroad, the gold standard is CM&AA;: Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors

An Introductory course is available at BSE too: BSEIndia

There are some workshops to held from time to time.

Job should not be a problem at all, though finding a interesting job profile may take some time.

Good luck.

Actually a CA who gets into the BIG 4 or even a second rung- but well known firm in Corp Finance (remember Corp Finance- NOT audit) role, will find it somewhat easier to get into such roles as M&A; Consulting 3-4 years down the line. I have friends who are CAs and thos who went into Auditing have remained there but those who ventured into Corp Finance/Consulting have after 2-3 years ended up in M&A; Advisory roles with top companies.

The qualifications that Punit mentioned will definitely be good for your understanding but to get into such roles you also need to build a good rapport. That will be a surefire way to get into such roles. Just qualifications will not get you anywhwere. For getting into such roles, you must also network well in the industry.

I would suggest that any CA should attend industry meets, institute conferences/seminars and network with the people he meets there. That will give him/her a higher chance to land into such roles. Just my $0.02 on this ! Cheers !

Hi,

I am currenntly working in mfg industry as CA since last 3 months.

I would like to pursue career in market analysis and M&A; activites.Which course will be good for me and were to search for such jobs.

Thanks in advance

IMHO for a CA targeting M&A; can be very rewarding, you will have a very specialized career profile. The jobs are few but still a significant supply-demand mismatch.

You may like to consider online courses from NYIF: Mergers & Acquisitions - Online Training Course

If you can afford to study abroad, the gold standard is CM&AA;: Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors

An Introductory course is available at BSE too: BSEIndia

There are some workshops to held from time to time.

Job should not be a problem at all, though finding a interesting job profile may take some time.

Good luck.

For instance equity research and i-banking are the most commonly used words by the people on this forum IMHO, but how many actually know what it actually means and what kind of work it actually entails doing? Today, every second guy irrespective of his background wants to become a CFA and end up as an analyst or portfolio manager, which is frankly ridiculous.

thats precisely why it has started to lose ground... being overrated among candidates as 'pass CFA and become portfolio manager'.
5 years back a CFA was a big thing, a CFA would seriously think about even pursuing MBA since it gave a solid ground. Now obviously employers dont take it that seriously.

People think only from a job prospective- in that way it is overrated now. Getting into equity research is a tough job as I quoted an article couple of posts back.

Yes the program itself is very good. But a candidate needs to look beyond passing it.

Puneet.

I dont think CFA is at all overrated. The kind of mental grind that it takes you through is intellectually stimulating and bodes well for getting the best knowledge in finance. The problem occurs when people blindly begin following a trend without understanding what they are getting into and whether it is the kind of work they want to do or not.

For instance equity research and i-banking are the most commonly used words by the people on this forum IMHO, but how many actually know what it actually means and what kind of work it actually entails doing? Today, every second guy irrespective of his background wants to become a CFA and end up as an analyst or portfolio manager, which is frankly ridiculous.

When such people pass out with MBA/CFA/CA or whatsoever, their lack of clarity of thoughts becomes apparent to the employers and hence the value of the qualification takes a hit. But this does not mean that the worth of the degree or program is questionable. Anyways, my 2 cents on the whole scenario !

Just a slight aberration to what Punit mentioned (hope you dont mind me pointing it out Punit).

Thank you, I really missed that part and started talking from recognition in job prospects... CFA is overrated IMHO.

Almost similar to CFA IMHO, since there a lot of CFAs around
FPSB India is a proper affiliate of FPSB US, just go through their site.
quite little- 10K Rs registration, 2k for each module, mentioned on their site. Also check
National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. -> NCFM -> NCFM Modules -> Modules of Financial Planning Standards Board India (Certified Financial Planner Certification)

Dude just give a goddamn try
Easier than CFA (US)... Form a group of candidates, exchange notes, questions, answers in each weekend

Let's wait for someone who is actually taking the program to give a ground-zero insight.
.............................................................
BTW
What you believe should be clear in your head and not in huge font.

Just a slight aberration to what Punit mentioned (hope you dont mind me pointing it out Punit).

CFA and CFP are NOT SIMILAR.

CFP is more about knowledge of various investment products such as mutual funds, insurance, ULIPS, pension plans etc and more importantly preparing a financial plan for the lifetime of an individual keeping in mind his earnings capabilities and his financial goals.

On the other hand, CFA is more about the fund management, actively managing portfolios and related risk, researching companies based on top-down/bottom-up approaches or relative valuation/peer valuation frameworks or using the sector-specific DCF methodology.

While both of these courses are finance related, their focus areas within Finance are markedly different so I thought it to be useful to point out.

Thanks. This is a very good discussion started by Punit and I would be glad if even I can become a part of this and help fellow puys in whatever way possible.

Have a good day.

Hi,

I am currenntly working in mfg industry as CA since last 3 months.

I would like to pursue career in market analysis and M&A; activites.Which course will be good for me and were to search for such jobs.

Thanks in advance

How to get into equity research?
My perception is similar to that mentioned in this article, hence quoting to avoid re-inventing the wheel. It lists what MBAs and CFAs must do preparing for their first job.

1. Engage in writing intensive coursework
   
2. Take a research-intensive course or sign up for a research project
   
3. Seek finance related work that will require the development and analysis of corporate financial forecasts and statements
   
4. Take a course to build understanding of key business calculations
   
5. Take an additional corporate finance course such as investment management, valuation techniques, financial management or real estate financing
   
6. Join toastmasters or the debate team to build and exercise your powers of persuasion
   
7. Take a course or workshop on public speaking to build your powers of persuasion and presentation skills
   
8. Check with career services to identify an individual or group locally that does strategic planning and offer to work for free
   
9. Ask professors you have if they are working on any projects you can help with requring collecting and analyzing data, particularly if it is around a business issue
   
10. Get a summer experience doing strategy consulting, equity research or strategic planning
    

How to get into equity research | Equity-Research.com

Sorry about the late reply...

My experiences after cold calling and interacting with numerous HR are that these companies are very close minded about the kind of educational qualification/ experience they require.
The global wealth mgmt firms are even more rigid about their hiring policies.

Yes... I guess that's why so many international certs are available. Precisely what type of companies did you call?

Could you also very briefly inform me of the kind of alternative investments, the indian markets are into?
Thanks.

There are more that 1200 ETFs in US... the trend is expected to catch here soon... NSE has launched several new instruments in last 5 years and new exchanges like MCX-SX keep propping up. Alternative investments are the 'new' thing because the myth of perpetual bull market shattered by recent global crisis.
But yes ofcourse the opportunities are very limited in India for alternative investments as of now.

Punit,
How easy or how difficult is it for one to enter this field?How manys such jobs are available in India? My experiences after cold calling and interacting with numerous HR are that these companies are very close minded about the kind of educational qualification/ experience they require.
The global wealth mgmt firms are even more rigid about their hiring policies.


Could you also very briefly inform me of the kind of alternative investments, the indian markets are into?
Thanks.

Introductory Certifications:

NCFM - introductory program mainly for compliance awareness
National Stock Exchange of India Ltd.
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/career-discussions/29642-ncfm-certification-exam-nse-india.html

AMFI- for mutual funds
Welcome to AMFI !

Programs from BSE Institue (BTI)
BSEIndia

I would like to pursue CFP (FPSB).
Before posting my queries, I would like to introduce myself.

I have pursued BBA (Finance)
Pursued Diploma in Banking & Finance
NSE Certification (Capital Markets)
Presently working at Research Company at Kolkata
Will be pursuing MBA from Sydenham Institute of Management, Mumbai (SIMSREE) in 2010-2012.
Interested in the area of Finance
Please answer my following queries:
1. How much does this certification add value to my career ?

Almost similar to CFA IMHO, since there a lot of CFAs around
FPSB India is a proper affiliate of FPSB US, just go through their site.

2. The course fees ?

quite little- 10K Rs registration, 2k for each module, mentioned on their site. Also check
National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. -> NCFM -> NCFM Modules -> Modules of Financial Planning Standards Board India (Certified Financial Planner Certification)

3. Can I be able to complete the program successfully ?
5. Will it affect my MBA studies ?

Dude just give a goddamn try

4. Is it easy, given you are interste in Finance field ?

Easier than CFA (US)... Form a group of candidates, exchange notes, questions, answers in each weekend

Let's wait for someone who is actually taking the program to give a ground-zero insight.
.............................................................
BTW

"Self Belief is the biggest strength one possesses"

What you believe should be clear in your head and not in huge font.

To all of you guys at Pagalguy, Please answer my queries regarding CFP program, India

I would like to pursue CFP (FPSB).
Before posting my queries, I would like to introduce myself.

I have pursued BBA (Finance)
Pursued Diploma in Banking & Finance
NSE Certification (Capital Markets)
Presently working at Research Company at Kolkata
Will be pursuing MBA from Sydenham Institute of Management, Mumbai (SIMSREE) in 2010-2012.
Interested in the area of Finance
Please answer my following queries:
1. How much does this certification add value to my career ?
2. The course fees ?
3. Can I be able to complete the program successfully ?
4. Is it easy, given you are interste in Finance field ?
5. Will it affect my MBA studies ?
Waiting for your reply...???
"Self Belief is the biggest strength one possesses"

Related Certifications:

CIMA - Certified Investment Management Analyst
Perhaps the most respected certification.
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/career-discussions/29369-caia.html

CCAP- Crisil Certified Analyst Program
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/career-discussions/21353-crisil-certified-analyst-programme.html


CMT- Chartered Market Technician
Good for investment advisors and traders
Technical Analysis Certification - Chartered Market Technician Program

Wilmott's CQF
Most reputed distance learning course in quantitative finance
Certificate in Quantitative Finance - CQF | Financial Mathematics and Financial Engineering course


Courses from National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM)
National Institute of Securities Markets (Established by Securities and Exchange Board of India)


Online MFE from Columbia University
It was a very good course, dunno if still exists
M.S. Financial Engineering

CFA- Chartered Financial Analyst
http://www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprog/
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/career-discussions/12326-need-some-opinions-on-cfa.html
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/career-discussions/14266-chartered-financial-analyst-cfa-icfai_hyderabad.html

FRM- Financial Risk Manager
GARP : Global Association of Risk Professionals
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/career-discussions/17216-financial-risk-manager-frm-garp.html

PRM- Professional Risk Manager
Exam - Professional Risk Managers' International Association
http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/career-discussions/23761-prm-professional-risk-manager-prmia.html