All of the finance aspirants, looking to
get certified on the international front, there seems to be one debate which is
the most common occurrence. This deals with the two pristine financial
certifications, the CFA or Chartered Financial Analyst and the FRM or Financial
Risk Manager. Both of these certifications are internationally recognised and
offer the chance to have a sterling career in the world of finance. This is
exactly where a lot of candidates are faced with the big dilemma of, which
certification should they go for and which one would be the most profitable for
them.
While it is true that both of these
certifications, open up a world of enriching possibilities for the candidate;
it is also true that both of these are highly competitive, expensive and tough
to crack. Thus it becomes very important for an aspirant to choose the most
suitable certification, lest it all go to a waste or they reconsider their
career choice, down the road after a few years. To someone who is thoroughly
aware of both of these certification, would notice a world of difference
between them. But someone who is an amateur could end up making the wrong
choice. Hence a clear distinction between the two is necessary so as to make it
easier to choose.
Here we explore both the certifications in great detail and highlight their differences.
Here we explore both the certifications in great detail and highlight their differences.
CFA
Program: Careers, Qualifications and Eligibility Criteria
The inception of the Chartered Analyst
Program took place in 1963. Originally intended for equity analysts working in
the field of Investment Banking; today it is compared to the MBA program. It
has become one of the go-to certifications, which a professional opts for when
looking to target some specific positions in the fields of investment andbanking. The various roles offered under this program range from, Portfolio
Managers, Fund Managers, Risk Managers, Financial Advisors, Private Bankers,
Consultant, Research Analysts, Accountants, Relationship Managers, Hedge Fund
Research and many others. When it comes to the eligibility criteria, a
candidate needs to have a bachelor’s degree and around four years of
professional work experience.
FRMCertification: Careers, Qualifications and Eligibility Criteria
This certification was originally
intended for those candidates, who wanted to pursue the profession of risk
managers in financial institutions. Modern times were infused with rapid
changes and high competition, which resulted in the need for professionals, who
were able to manage risk, money and investment efficiently. Thus as a result of
this, the certification came to be recognised as an important designation. The
various career prospects and roles here include Chief Risk Officer, Senior Risk
Analyst, Head of Operational Risk, and Investment Risk Management. Unlike CFA,
here no educational or professional qualifications are required for a candidate
to get qualified for the FRM certificate.
Some
Major Distinctions
While the CFA program deals with
concepts like, financial analysis, ethics, and asset valuation and so on; the
FRM certification mainly covers risk, valuation at risk, models of risk, credit
risk and so on. Basically topics which revolve around the concept of risk. Some
common concepts, where both these certifications overlap include, credit,
derivatives, hedge funds, risk/return metrics and so on.
Imarticus Learning is an education
institute offering courses for certification in both CFA and FRM. It is
recognised by the Global Association for risk management as well as by the CFA
institutes and proves to be an instrumental set up for those looking for a
career in finance and investment banking.