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I am currently a CFA candidate pursuing the chartered financial analyst certification from the CFA institute. This certification demonstrates expertise in investments knowledge and is highly regarded as prestigious by employers alike.

I will be taking the level I exam this December. Would it be premature to include the fact that I am a CFA candidate in the achievements section of my resume? Does this carry any weight , or would it just be extraneous / negative?

Thank you and I appreciate any feedback from the community.

Anthony
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2 Answers2

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It means you're actively seeking to expand your knowledge. That's generally a good thing.

If an employer hired you in part because you're taking it, I'd expect it to go over badly if you failed.

The only negative thing could be that it will take time to work on it / test. If it's something that happens entirely outside work hours, I can't see it being an issue. Even if it does, if it's relevant and beneficial to the position it probably wouldn't be an issue.

  • Agreed. Personal anecdote: I know for myself at least that I have gotten a job at a place where it was company policy to hire those only with a degree - they decided to expand that to those currently studying to get me in - but had I not put it down that I was studying, they would never have known and never had considered me. – pi31415 Dec 06 '14 at 01:48
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Hm. The CFA is a pretty hard exam - the fail rate for the first section is impressive.

So, no, I do no think it will hurt to put it on your CV, as it shows interest and a proactive attitude to learning.

I would not, however, put it in the "achievements" section, as all you have so far achieved is the ability to pay money to the CFA institute to book the exam. This is not a remarkable achievement these days.

Put it under "ongoing learning" or something similar.

Once you have part one, then put the part one under "achievements", or more usefully "certifications" or "education", and put part two (and the exam date) under ongoing learning.

I leave "achievements" for personal-growth/non work related but impressive entries, like "swam the english channel" or "started a local mentoring program". Your thoughts, however, are just as valid as mine on header phrasing.

bharal
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