Career as a Financial Analyst

The Lowdown

Financial analysts help investors decide where to put their wealth. With specialised knowledge in accounting, finance, capital markets, and investment strategies, these professionals can help you reap good returns on your investments. For instance, an equity analyst working for a knowledge process outsourcing firm does primary research by talking to industry experts, and regulatory bodies to write reports for their clients.

Clock Work

The average day of a portfolio manager:

9-9.30 am: Reach office. Decide changes in the portfolio based on the performance of international markets

10 am: Interact with financial analyst in the team to decide which stock to invest in

3.30 pm: Lunch

4 pm: Analyse portfolio

5 pm: Discuss analysis with boss

8-9 pm: Go home

The Payoff

Pay levels swing from one organisation to another. The salary for fresh CFAs is about Rs 4 lakh a year but with experience, it can rise to a crore-plus annually.

Skills/Traits

• Strong background in accountancy and working knowledge of maths
• Good analytical skills
• Interest in financial investments

Getting There?

For a CFA qualification from the US-based CFA Institute, you need to have a bachelor's (or equivalent) degree or be in the final year of a bachelor's programme at the time of registration, or have four years of qualified, professional relevant work experience or have a combination of work and college experience that totals at least four years (Note: summer, part-time, and internship positions do not qualify). ICFAI University, on the other hand, asks for only a UG degree for its two-year programme. It also offers a one-year accelerated track for chartered accountants, cost and worls accountants, company secretaries and certain MBAs (finance)

Institutes

• CFA Institute, United States of America, www.cfainstitute.org
• ICFAI University, Tripura, www.iutripura.edu.in, www.icfai.org

Pros And Cons

• Financially rewarding
• Intellectually interesting
• High-pressure job. Long work hours
• Challenging and competitive work

 

Source: HT Horizons

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