CFA 시험: 노력, 희생 및 경력 혜택

### CFA는 그만한 가치가 있을까요? 공인 자격 보유자의 관점
* 💼 전직 금융 저널리스트에서 JP모건의 은행원으로 변신한 샬린은 **CFA 공인 자격 보유자**로서 자신의 경험을 공유합니다.
* ⏰ CFA 시험은 레벨당 **300시간이 공식 권장**되는 등 상당한 시간과 노력이 필요하지만, 특히 비재무 분야의 경우 **더 많은 시간이 소요**되는 경우가 많습니다.
* 😔 샬린은 최소 4개월 동안 사회생활을 하지 못하고 일과 공부, 휴식 없는 일상이 반복되는 CFA 준비 기간 동안 자신의 삶을 **"비참했다"고 표현**합니다.
* 📈 어려운 도전에도 불구하고 Charlene은 첫 번째 도전에서 **세 단계를 모두 통과**했으며, 금융 업계에서의 신뢰도 향상 등 **CFA 자격증이 주는 커리어상의 이점**을 강조하고 있습니다.
* 💰 샬린의 CFA 자격을 알게 된 집주인이 **임대료를 인하**해 준 일화는 전세 소유자 간의 무언의 유대를 잘 보여줍니다.
* ✅ 샬린은 특히 자산 및 자산 관리 분야에서 금융 경력을 쌓고자 하는 사람들에게 **CFA를 추천**하지만, 금융 지식을 넓히고자 하는 다른 분야의 사람들에게는 **레벨 1로도 충분**하다고 제안합니다.
* 🎓 CFA는 **존중, 기회, 우정을 쌓을 수 있다는 점**에서 가치 있는 투자로 여겨지지만, 이를 추구하는 결정은 개인의 목표와 계획에 따라 이루어져야 합니다.
* 🔗 Charlene은 금융 용어에 대한 무료 가이드와 독학으로 **모든 CFA 레벨을 통과하는 방법에 대한 동영상** 등 금융 및 CFA 시험에 관심이 있는 분들을 위한 추가 리소스를 제공합니다.

CFA 공인 자격 보유자인 Charlene이 CFA 시험을 준비하며 겪은 힘들었지만 보람찬 여정과 이 자격을 통해 얻은 중요한 직업적 이점에 대해 이야기합니다.

There's a rumor going around that if you pass the CFA exams, you can make a really good six-figure income. The CFA exam is seen as the most difficult exam in the finance industry. There's also news about how pass rates for CFA exams are dropping, and some even say ChatGPT, the super smart AI, cannot pass all the exams. Today, I'm making a video to answer some important questions about CFA from my own experience as a CFA charterholder: How much effort should you put into preparing for CFA exams? What was my life like while preparing for them? What benefits do I and my friends get from having the CFA designation? Would I recommend people to go for it today? If you're new here, I'm Charlene. I used to be a finance journalist before I joined the banking industry at JPM. I make videos about personal finance, investments, and self-development. Don't forget to subscribe for more videos like this!

How much time and effort you need to contribute? Back in 2016, when I did Level 1 exam, 
about almost 1/3 of the seats at the exam hall were empty. Many people just jumped in 
impulsively, paid for the exams, so expensive, 1k, but later got scared by the materials and 
quit. In 2019, when I faced Level 3, the exam place was pretty packed. Once you pass Level 2, 
people take it more seriously. I still remember, the people sitting in front of me, behind me, and 
next to me were all guys. I was the only woman in between. But now, CFA is actively encouraging 
more women to take the exam. They even offer women scholarships. Officially, they say it takes 
around 300 hours for each level. Honestly, for me, it took me more than that, because I didn't 
have a finance degree. I studied literature.

in college and journalism for my master's, so 
finance wasn't on my radar. Before I studied, I didn’t know what’s the difference 
between a stock and a bond. Back then, you could take Level 1 
twice a year, but for Level 2 and 3, it was only once a year. If you failed, you had to 
wait a whole year, which is kind of like China's college admission exam, which I also took.
Now, when you're thinking if CFA is worth it or not, it mainly comes down to two things: 
ROI and opportunity cost. ROI means Return on investment, and I'll talk about the return later. 
The investment part is at least 300 hours per year and sacrificing your after-work and weekend 
time. Basically, you lose 4 to 5 months every year with no free after-work or weekend time.
Opportunity cost is what you could do otherwise.

instead of CFA. You could hit the gym, 
spend quality time with family and friends,   or study something else. There're 
tons of things to study to learn. How’s my life during the preparation? My life can be summed up in one word: Miserable.
I have the habit of keeping a diary. When I look   back on those days, it’s really depressing, if I 
can use the word. No social life for at least 4   months. I’m a really outgoing person. I love to 
hang out with friends after work during the weekend.   I remember very clearly, there’s a bar just 
under my office in HK back then. After work,   my colleagues would ask, Charlene, 
one drink? I said no. They said,   only one. It’s tempting but I had to decline, 
because I know it can't be just one drink. My daily routine was brutal. I'd spend 8 to 9 
hours at work. I also traveled a lot back then.

between HK and SG. A typical day is like after 8 to 9 hours at work, I came back home around 7 or 8 pm, then lie on my bed for an hour. I listened to some music and tried to relax a bit, ordered takeaway on Deliveroo or Food Panda, and finally, start to study for 2-3 hours from 9 to till midnight. The good news is, I passed all three levels on my first attempt. It's a rewarding journey, but if you ask me if I want to experience that again, the answer is a big NO. I had hair loss during this crazy period. You know when you take a shower, I could clearly feel the hair was literally dropping, a lot more than usual. So, yeah, it was a tough period, at least for me! I've heard some people bragging, saying, Oh, I only studied for 2 weeks,

and the CFA is just common sense. If you 
come across someone like that, my advice   is to keep your distance. Anything's 
possible, but I wouldn't trust them. I've talked to many people with finance degrees, 
super smart, and loads of industry experience.   They all told me it's tough and demanded 
a lot of hours. So, don't take it lightly,   and don't think those who claim it's a 
breeze are necessarily smarter than you. So, what did CFA bring to me? Let's dive into ROI (Return on Investment) 
again, but this time, let's focus on the return.  Before I joined JPMorgan, I worked 
as a banking journalist. My daily   job involved talking to various people in 
the finance and banking industry and then   writing articles about it. I also moderated 
many panels and conferences. I can tell you,   having those three CFA letters after your name 
made a real difference. People definitely took

me more seriously, especially since it's not 
that common in the finance media industry. Eventually, I did land a job at JPMorgan, 
and many wondered if the CFA helped. I'd say it was definitely helpful, but it's one 
piece of the puzzle. When you're hired, they look at your hard skills, soft skills, and 
the chemistry you have with your manager and team. By the way, if you're curious about how I got 
into JPMorgan and what life is like there, I've got you covered. Check out my previous 
video where I shared my life at JPM. Now, here's an interesting story: I was looking 
for a new apartment in Hong Kong in 2019. The landlord asked for my pay slip and 
business card to ensure I'm a good tenant who could pay rent on time. We ended 
up connecting on LinkedIn, and he discovered I was a CFA charterholder. 
Guess what? He reduced 500 HKD off my

monthly rent because he's also a CFA 
charterholder. I was over the moon! I think people tend to connect well when 
they know you've been through the same tough CFA journey. All those three 
years. It's like an unspoken bond. Would I recommend people to go for it? Well, it's a yes and no. It really 
depends on your goals and plans. For me, I'd say it's totally worth it because 
of the respect you earned, opportunities you gained, and the friendships you had.
If you want to be a finance professional, especially in the Wealth Management and Asset 
Management industry, it's a solid choice. Now, if you're in a different field like 
engineering or technology and just want to expand your knowledge in finance and investing, 
Level 1 is good enough. It gives you an overview of key financial players, various asset classes, 
investments, and different financial instruments.

By the way, if you're new to investing and feeling overwhelmed by all those finance jargons, I've got something cool for you. In the description, you can download a free guide with 60 finance terms explained in plain English. And if you're already committed to the CFA exams and want to know how I managed to pass all three levels without a finance degree, check out my previous video titled How to Pass All CFA Exams On The First Attempt Through Self-Study. Like, subscribe, and click on the screen. I will see you in the next video.

Is the CFA worth it today? (THE HONEST TRUTH from a CFA Charterholder)

Charlene Cong, CFA

CFA 시험 경험: 자격 보유자의 인사이트

CFA 시험은 6자리 숫자의 고소득으로 이어질 수 있는 잠재력으로 높은 평가를 받고 있습니다.

시험의 난이도가 높아지면서 합격률이 떨어지고 있으며, 여성 응시자가 증가하고 있습니다.

CFA 시험을 준비하려면 상당한 시간이 필요하며, 특히 금융 관련 배경 지식이 없는 응시자의 경우 레벨당 권장 시간인 300시간 이상을 공부해야 하는 경우가 많습니다.

CFA 자격증이 개인 생활과 시간 관리에 미치는 영향

CFA 시험 공부는 연간 최소 300시간 이상의 상당한 시간 투자가 필요하기 때문에 개인 시간과 사회생활의 손실로 이어집니다.

준비 과정은 정서적, 육체적으로 고갈되어 몇 달 동안 비참함과 고립감을 유발할 수 있습니다.

CFA 자격증 취득을 결정할 때는 투자 수익과 다른 활동 및 관심사를 희생하는 기회 비용의 균형을 맞추는 것이 중요합니다.

CFA 자격증을 향한 도전적인 여정

장시간의 공부와 업무로 인해 탈모가 발생하여 어려움을 겪었습니다.

CFA가 쉽다는 주장은 일축하고 이 프로그램의 엄격한 요구 사항을 강조합니다.

힘든 여정에도 불구하고 CFA 자격증 취득은 경력에 큰 영향을 미쳤고, JP모건에서 기회를 얻게 되었습니다.

금융 산업에서 CFA 자격증이 미치는 영향

CFA 자격증은 JP모건에 취업하는 데 도움이 되었지만, 채용 결정에는 하드 스킬, 소프트 스킬, 팀 케미스트리도 고려됩니다.

홍콩의 한 집주인은 세입자가 CFA 자격증 보유자라는 사실을 알게 된 후 임대료를 할인해 주겠다고 제안하여 CFA 과정을 거친 사람들 사이의 강한 유대감을 보여주었습니다.

CFA 취득의 가치는 커리어 목표에 따라 달라지며, 금융 전문가에게는 매우 유익하지만 금융 지식을 넓히고자 하는 다른 분야의 사람들에게도 가치가 있습니다.

금융 전문 용어 탐색하기: 초보자 가이드

무료로 다운로드할 수 있는 가이드는 60개의 금융 용어에 대한 설명을 일반 영어로 제공합니다.

이 동영상은 금융 학위가 없어도 독학으로 모든 CFA 시험에 합격할 수 있는 인사이트를 제공합니다.

시청자는 좋아요를 누르고 구독한 후 제공된 리소스에 액세스하여 자세한 정보를 확인하시기 바랍니다.