-B.Com (finance specialization) -Level 2 CFA candidate Both neccessary to attract OPM. I may pursue MBA or Ph.D later... Both to make business easier and for educational purposes.
Taking CFA level III exam this June. If your aspiration is to become a great trader, the designation is absolutely useless. In fact, some of the things I do in trading directly contradict their theory about the financial markets (i.e. technical analysis). Most of the people I study with (most of whom have qualified work experience in their field) do not understand or care about the workings of securities trading. So I'm warning you before you embark on a four year journey to become a CFA charterholder: It will NOT help you become a better trader AT ALL. Also from what I understand, FRM and CFP are just as useless when it comes to trading. FRM actually became quite a fad for many CFA candidates as an extra bonus after comepleting level II or III. CAIA could come in handy if you want to learn in depth about the derivatives but once again, it does not teach you the ins and outs of being a trader. I'd say for traders, CMT (Chartered Market Technician) is the closest designation that would fit their profile, but you can learn most of it reading books instead of working on a designation so few will recognize.