Hi, I would like to know how important the CFA is in order to get a quant job in financial industry. Will the quant job require some background konwledge like corporate finance, equity analysis, although I never use them in my current Phd research on financial engineering. Some of my colleauges intend to take, so I am wondering...

Hi fmfreshman,Depending upon the type of quantitative role, I would say that a CFA is far less important than your raw mathematics/programming ability. Given that you'll be spending about 50% of your time coding (in nearly any quantitative role nowadays), they'll want to see strong evidence of this (the usual suspects: C++, Python, R, MatLab...). A CFA is beneficial in a less technical capacity such as M&A, Private Equity or Investment Management (non-quant), but I presume you're less interested in roles of that type. It's fundamentally about opportunity cost. Any time spent revising for the CFA is time not spent coding up quant models, reading about stochastic volatility, etc. These skills are likely to be more appropriate to a quantitative employer than the CFA.

CFA is for fundamental equity analysis. Quants don't do that. (*)Frankly, get the CFA and go into the 2&20 business, forget the fast disappearing quant bubble...(*) well, everyone's title has quant in it now, so who knows?

considering noise in the market I would go for a CFA then you can talk and talk in tv and sooner or later you got the right answer maybe just befre the next crash and you'll be a god speaking making money.but if you want to continue writing equations do not take it.

QuoteOriginally posted by: ArthurDentCFA is for fundamental equity analysis. Quants don't do that. (*)Frankly, get the CFA and go into the 2&20 business, forget the fast disappearing quant bubble...(*) well, everyone's title has quant in it now, so who knows?What is the 2&20 business ?

QuoteOriginally posted by: bluetrinQuoteOriginally posted by: ArthurDentCFA is for fundamental equity analysis. Quants don't do that. (*)Frankly, get the CFA and go into the 2&20 business, forget the fast disappearing quant bubble...(*) well, everyone's title has quant in it now, so who knows?What is the 2&20 business ?ArthurDent is referring to the hedge fund remuneration structure. The fund gets 2% of the assets under management (AUM) every year (irrespective of performance) and then a 20% carry/performance fee of any profits made above some benchmark (assuming the "high water mark" has been met). It is commonly known as 2&20.

QuoteOriginally posted by: fmfreshmanHi, I would like to know how important the CFA is in order to get a quant job in financial industry. Will the quant job require some background konwledge like corporate finance, equity analysis, although I never use them in my current Phd research on financial engineering. Some of my colleauges intend to take, so I am wondering...A CFA is valued by the buy-side asset management firms even for quantitative positions. This is a good-to-have rather than a must-have. Thus, I'd suggest take CFA Level 1 only when you have plenty of spare time to do so.

QuoteOriginally posted by: QuantCentralQuoteOriginally posted by: fmfreshmanHi, I would like to know how important the CFA is in order to get a quant job in financial industry. Will the quant job require some background konwledge like corporate finance, equity analysis, although I never use them in my current Phd research on financial engineering. Some of my colleauges intend to take, so I am wondering...A CFA is valued by the buy-side asset management firms even for quantitative positions. This is a good-to-have rather than a must-have. Thus, I'd suggest take CFA Level 1 only when you have plenty of spare time to do so.Am I right in thinking that IBs still tend to pay for their employees to go through the CFA? Or was that in the glory days prior to 2007/2008?

QuoteOriginally posted by: quantstartQuoteOriginally posted by: QuantCentralQuoteOriginally posted by: fmfreshmanHi, I would like to know how important the CFA is in order to get a quant job in financial industry. Will the quant job require some background konwledge like corporate finance, equity analysis, although I never use them in my current Phd research on financial engineering. Some of my colleauges intend to take, so I am wondering...A CFA is valued by the buy-side asset management firms even for quantitative positions. This is a good-to-have rather than a must-have. Thus, I'd suggest take CFA Level 1 only when you have plenty of spare time to do so.Am I right in thinking that IBs still tend to pay for their employees to go through the CFA? Or was that in the glory days prior to 2007/2008?Different for different banks. I've heard of two where it's been stopped for the graduates but permanent employees still get it.

Very important if you replace FA with ++.

QuoteOriginally posted by: GamalVery important if you replace FA with ++.I have started to enjoy the geeky jokes here.

QuoteOriginally posted by: mrmisterQuoteOriginally posted by: GamalVery important if you replace FA with ++.I have started to enjoy the geeky jokes here.The new ++ is #.

QuoteOriginally posted by: katastrofaQuoteOriginally posted by: CuchulainnThe new ++ is #.++ was not controlled by a corporation.By consensus Is that why C++ 11 took so long?