Hey guys - I accepted a new position and have some time before I start. As a condition for taking time off in between, I agreed to get certified in Argus. I'd like to maximize my travel time but need to book flights, accounting for the time it will take to complete the certification.
Question - how long did it take you to become certified? Could be irrelevant but I have a strong finance background (transitioning from equity research, have CFA, etc).
I searched extensively on this topic and I found one post saying it took a guy 50 hours but that's it.
Do you have experience with Argus Enterprise or Argus DCF?
It took me about two weeks of studying 1-2 hours every day, but I had exp. with both programs all ready. I couldn't say how long if you have zero exp with the program, It may take some time just to understand how the program works and where everything is.
The exam is two parts, about 50-75 MC and a case study. For the MC; If you can answer all of the questions in the back of the book you should be fine. You can obviously reference the book during the test but to save time that is sub-optimal
Second part, the case study, is where having no exp in the program is really going to bite you.
My recommendation is to go through the certification book from page 0 to the end. Don't take the case study until you can go through them 100% without a mistake because the retakes cost money.
I can answer questions if you have any..
Great to hear, you guys just added two more days of getting weird in Bali for papa bear
I literally just went through the AE Cert program. There are 8 learning modules, a practice test and a real test. The real test includes a case study, the practice does not. The real test includes a handful of aspects not covered on the practice test (mostly purchase/sale/debt assumptions).
I became certified in between jobs, so I had all day open. Before taking the test I had zero ARGUS experience. The entire process took me 5 days, and I passed the test on the first try. I usually did my own thing in the morning, worked out, grabbed lunch, ran a few errands, w/e, then started studying around 2 pm and ended around 10 pm - midnight, but took many and decently long breaks. I watched the videos in the eLearning modules (record them, after you go through a module it disappears and you can never get the info back), took very detailed notes (basically transcribed the video), recorded myself doing the case study, then moved on to the next module. I took the practice test twice, wrote down every question and answer to build a database for the real test. After taking the practice test twice and passing, I decided to take the real one.
There's a section with 50(?) MC questions which are based on the videos and eLearning book (which i never looked at), then a case study that incorporates everything included in the modules plus some (read my note above), and 15 MC questions based on the results of your case study. You have to get 70%+ on both sections to become certified.
Lemme know if you have questions.
I realize that you're getting the certification because your employer stipulated it given your specific situation, but as a disclaimer to others on this board, it's a complete waste of time from my perspective. I've had a ton of people come onboard that have gotten the certification, and they didn't know what they were doing with the software / valuations. It's a good thing to do if you're trying to get your foot in the door as an undergraduate, but realistically if you have 1 week on the job you'll be far more knowledgeable in that software than someone who even studies that coursework for a month or two. If you're an experienced professional who understands finance and excel, I wouldn't waste your time as you can learn the software on the job.
From a pure value standpoint I’d agree. I’d also say 95% of the CFA is a huge waste of time as well.
However, like the CFA, it’s about signaling. As someone who is transitioning from a different industry (although very similar skill set) Argus experience seems to be a big question mark on my resume. Could be different for a student applying for an entry level gig but a few years out it seems like it’s well worth the $1,100, especially if the alternative is 200k for business school to rebrand. Could just be my specific experiences but those that I’ve interviewed with told me it’d be in my best interest to do it. That being said I ended up fine without it so who knows... just my two cents