Eligibility
To pursue your career as a securities analyst's one should have a graduate level training in finance such as MSF or MBA degrees, or are qualified accountants. "Industry experience" is often pre-requisite and so analysts often have undergraduate degrees in related fields. Also, many analysts originally enter this domain through their practice as consultants or accountants and so a very wide range of qualifications is common.In the United States of America additionally a professional qualification such as Chartered Financial Analyst designation (CFA) or an international qualification Certified International Investment Analyst designation (CIIA), is required to advance beyond a certain level within a firm. Many practicing Chartered Accountants & MBAs have also entered this domain as consultants & investment bankers respectively. Apart from having knowledge of subjects like accountancy, economics and statistics, investment analysts having additional knowledge in specific subjects like engineering, biotechnology, pharmacy etc. adds to their advantage. Since they have better understanding in those fields, it can be beneficial in making investment decisions in those sectors.
The regulatory requirement to this field varies with each country. In the United States, sell-side or Wall Street research analysts must register with FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. In addition to passing the General Securities Representative Exam, candidates must pass the Research Analyst Examination in order to publish research for the purpose of selling or promoting publicly traded securities.
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