CFA vs CIPM vs CAIA?

Thinking about furthering my education a little bit but there are so many different designations and I'm not sure which one to pursue. What are the difference in these? Do some hold more weight than others? Any specific job titles that fit with any of these designations? Any help is appreciated.

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https://www.cfainstitute.org/programs/cfaprogram/Pages/index.aspx https://www.cfainstitute.org/programs/cipm/Pages/index.aspx https://www.caia.org/about https://index.investopedia.com/index?q=cipm&qsrc=1&o=40186&l=dir&qo=ser… http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cfa.asp?o=40186&l=dir&qsrc=999&qo=i… https://index.investopedia.com/index?q=caia&qsrc=1&o=40186&l=dir&qo=ser…

They all cover different topics, with some overlap of course. CFA is the most universal and is the most rigorous. You should decide which to go for depending on your industry. Since your questions are vague, I think you should check the hundreds of resources online (including on this site) to help you understand the differences and which designation is best suited for you.

 

Given that you're posting on the Equity Research Forum, are you looking for a certification to help you in that regard? If so, knowing nothing else about your background and situation, I'd hesitantly recommend the CFA over the other two listed there. Without further information, it is difficult to provide more substantive advice.

 

Thank you, I appreciate it. I've always heard if I want to be a research associate/analyst I need to do CFA, but more and more I'm seeing many financial professionals who are "analysts/associates" (especially in California) sporting the CAIA.

 

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