An Insider’s View on Private Banking, Hedge Funds & I-Banking

Did any of your employers hire CFA Candidates ?

Yes @perfectcritic. More so in the asset management sector though. CFA is a valuable qualification in all fields of finance but more so in hedge fund/asset management where the CFA would be a huge plus.

A great article @pmw.CFA! 🙂

Thanks @christine!

Thanks for the insight!.. Huge gooner, too! Rock on, brother!… I’m going to begin at a local bank (Gaborone, Botswana) in January, and i would like to know how you plan to balance the work-study schedule. Also sitting for Level 1 in June. Also debating whether CFA classes will be necessary as i’m currently using Kaplan Schweser material.. Thanks, man.

Glad you enjoyed it @Steve_Adom ! I believe that everybody has to discover what works best for them. As for myself, I can only study on my lunch break during working days. I can focus on week ends. I’m also using the Kaplan Schweser material which I think it’s enough to get by. Good luck with your studies!

@PMW.cfa thanks for the details, especially about Edinburgh, since I work there and I’m trying to find opportunities in asset management firms. Let me know if it is okay to arrange a meet up.

I’m a french living (and studying finance & CFA Level I exam) in London, and I am more and more considering Edinburgh as an alternative to London, for asset management. Don’t know much about the market there anyway.. I have researches and applications ahead!
Anyway, really nice overview of your career!

Sure @MockTurtle . I go back and forth between here and London. Currently in London for Christmas period :).
Yes @servelv Edinburgh after London is one of the bigger financial centres at least in the UK. I think in the fund industry once you get some experience first hand and pass CFA Level 1, you will be in a great spot! What is your education background? Are you currently in London to study for your bachelors or did you study in France in les Grandes Ecoles or other schools(HEC, ESCP,…)? I have old classmates that went through similar path.

Hey @PMW.CFA. Thanks for the tips.
I am doing a MSc in Finance at Grenoble Graduate School of Business, but am located in their London campus, right next to LSE. Before I did my Bachelor in France including 1y in Canada.
I worked in investors relations in AM in a quite large Parisian boutique (7 months, intern). Now, I want to go on the analysis side. The good part is that I will remain student one year after the end of my classes next june June (thesis to handle in sept.15). So, I can still consider an off-cycle internship.
Right now, I’m dealing with the Economics L1 curriculum. Easy so far, but long. But eh, I wanted it 😉

I think given your background @servelv you are in a great spot to start a career in the fund industry. From talking to classmates and friends they have pretty much followed the same path. Grenoble is a decent school and you already have experience which is a good starting block. Good luck with everything and I hope you can land a position in the industry!