In Nov 2015, The Mini Talk "The Real Meaning of CFA" in VNDirect was held in VNDirect - one of the top securities companies in Vietnam. The ultimate purpose was of clarifying all "wrong perception" of CFA studying.

1. The Real Meaning of CFA
Mini-Talk

2. Le Hoai An, CFA
Senior Financial Analyst

3. PURPOSES of CFA Program
o Basic financial background
o Develop analytical skills
o Getting used to pressure
o One step closer to the practice world

4. CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge

5. How CFA could help you as a broker
o Your recommendation needs to be more fundamental.
o Your clients sometimes need information rather than
recommendation.
o You may need to improve your communication language.
o Your career doesn’t stop at that station.

6. ETHICS IN INVESTMENT INDUSTRY
BUY RECOMMENDATION BIAS

7. How CFA program has been Studied
in Vietnam?
o It’s a magic for your career
o You can know everything about Finance
o $1500 for CFA level 2 and $3000 for CFA level 3
o Passing the exam will prove your ability
o You can do everything with CFA certificate
o You can have advantage in your CV if you have passed some levels

8. WHEN CFA IS NOT SUITABLE?
o You are working and want to work in commercial banking
o You are interested in management, marketing
o You are not really good at English
o You can’t read heavily
o You don’t have a background in Finance

9. STUDYING METHOD
o Self study using CFA Curriculum
o Group study creates synergy
o Try to create an artificial environment about financial world

10. RECOMMENDED STUDY METHOD
o Use curriculum – You should start soon
o Reading through to get the big picture of the topic before coming to class
o You could just review learning outcome
o Finishing all exercises in curriculum for each reading
o Having your own note for each reading, section and subject
o Trying to draw mind map for each reading
o Referring to extra papers recommended from lecturers if you have time

11. WHY YOU SHOULD USE THE ORIGINAL CFA BOOKS
o How you could become analyst if you can’t read 2,500 pages in 6 months.
o The goal of CFA exam and preparation is to prepare for you the pressure in the
industry
o You could have a big picture of the subject with CFA curriculum but not for
Schweser Note
o You can have good memory when learing with Curriculum
o You could approach the experience of CFA Charter Holders through case study in
the Curriculum
o This uses the language of the exam and the investment world

12. PANEL DISCUSSION
The Real Meaning of CFA
Mini-Talk