There are still some guys thinking of entry into finance field only by passing FRM/ CFA/ CIIA examinations. Success in exam. does not mean good job performance. In the eyes of employers, working experience counts.
I feel surprised of the phenonmenon in mainland China that many young uni.-graduates are still dreaming. It's your time to accumulate solid working experience rather than number of designation, e.g. CFA, CPA, FRM, CIIA, CFP, MBA, MSc.
Bear in mind, employers are practical-minded. They are not too academic. They prefer your workplace performace rather than your statement of academic theories.
Learning is no right or no wrong. But don't place too much career hope on any finance designation!!! I know some guys see FRM/ CFA as an entry point to Ibank as analyst. It's just too unrealistic!!!
Please replace the focus on experience versus knowledge(e.g. models, theories, etc.)!!!
Or in precise.......differentiate between workplace and academic arena!!!!!!
If after proof, they exists no difference......we can ascertain that employers will prefer exam. machines as these exam. hall guys should be satisfactory job performers as those experienced men on industry.
But in reality, knowledge acquired from exam., courses, books....... is the lowest level of the whole body of prequisites to finance field. Deviation certainly exists from workplace. What u learnt from exam. hall can not lead u to level job performance in workplace. In working practice, what u learnt from books may not follow.
In conclusion, there do not exist absolute linear relationship between exam, success and attributes to putting through the tasks in workplace. They are more or less two different elements in two different world.
In exam., we can prove the equation and make a right decision. But in workplace, CAN WE????? WORKPLACE is just imperfection which betrays the fundamentals of all models we learnt and used in exam. hall.
I am also a Chinese. I never look down on me as a Chinese even before I has worked for foreign corporations. Cultural difference never ends. I always keep open-minded on finding a perfect matching point bewteen my mindset and that of the counterparties.
I just want to say exam. success is not totality. I can not compromise on this bottomline. Although most of recognized professional examinations were designed by western countries (e.g. U.K.(ACCA), U.S.(CFA, FRM)), their theories dominate but are not universally true!!!!!!!
P.S. I type Chinese in a very slow speed, that's why I communicate with all of u in English. Please forgive me!!!
I don't really understand what pervades China along with the economic miracle. However I could a little understand the reality that Chinese students face, based on what they are talking in Internet site like this forum. One of the issues is "unemployment after school". They look desperately for any possible edge to get employed. No wonder FRM becomes one of their targets. Fortunately (or unfortunately) FRM allows students a chance (and makes big money).
Honestly, I have to agree with you, but there is still one thing always confuses me, without excellent education background and work experience, how can we have a change to enter the investment industry? I think at China, taking exam is the only way for people with general background condition, at least for me.
In the long run, there will be oversupply of FRM in the job market even in mainland China. How can u differentiate yourself from other job candidates if all of them are FRM or CFA??? Like in H.K., U.K. and Singapore, there are too many qualified finance professional. The employers in these countries feel confused about the utility of such "LETTERS".......CFA/ FRM/CPA/ACCA/CA........
Again......a debate on short-terism versus long-term equilibrium!!!!!!!
Other than these letters like CFA/ FRM/ CA.........WHAT THE EMPLOYERS LOOK AT ARE
1 Soft skill, e.g. relationship management skill, interpersonal skill, culture management skill, etc.
2 Hard skill, i.e. knowledge, skill, technique..........things to make u work in the workplace
These explain why employers also consider candidates from non-finance background as these guys more or less add value to their employers by different mindsets.