Quote from Pension_Admin:
Thanks! Doing the CFA curriculum is just to help me land a job in the financial industry and to ultimately fund my account. I know the way to success in trading is through experience and not through what has already been written. Regardless, I will try to learn as much as I can, because I know it will benefit me in some way.
Yes, I am planning to take the level II exam in June. Hopefully I'll pass it and that it will open up some doors.
BTW: What level are you working on?
PA
Quote from nokomisjeff:
Good luck on the CFA thing, but one question comes to mind......would you expect someone to trust you with their money? At a beginner level? Not trying to be snarky, but realistic. Seriously, I wish you luck, but just don't blow out your account, or worse.......someone else's.

Quote from Pension_Admin:
Hey Jeff,
Thanks for your comment! I am actually a regular reader of your blog and I wanted to mention how much I enjoy it. Reading your blog is kind of like watching the show Entourage with a trader as the main character. It's motivating!
To answer your question, no, I would not expect someone to trust me with their money and I don't expect to trade anyone else's money at this point (maybe when I reached the expert level?) Right now, all I wanted to do is just follow my plan and see how far I could go with my underfunded account.
Preservation of capital will be my number one priority. I will do my best to prevent my account from blowing up.
PA
Quote from nokomisjeff:
I've been trading for 30+ years and think I might reach the expert level in another 30 years. Seriously, it was a bunch of 80 year old guys who started trading in the 1920's who taught me to trade. I'm glad you realize your limitations, which is an excellent first step. Your idea of playing a good defensive game is an excellent second step, so at least you realize what you need to do. 2 positive steps that are rational is good.....most people around here are pie in the sky. Just for what it's worth, most CFA's I know are really lousy traders. I never did anything like that....did take the series 3 so I could fill a little paper when that was the rule. What a waste, in 20 years, I might have filled 20 orders helping out a friend. I like to come over to ET as I read the boards and find a lot of fade opportunities. One key to success is to find a loser, encourage him to tell you what he's doing, then fade him. Percentage wise, you'll win, but if he's a leaker, the vig and slippage might hurt you. Still, fading losers are good if your transaction costs are low and can be a good % play. And there are a lot of net losers over here
Good luck to you.
Jeff
Quote from Pension_Admin:
Hi Jeff,
I have been trading on and off for about 8 years. I am learning to trade through getting the bits and pieces from other traders. Livermore, Niederhoffer, Soros, and the market wizards are some of my major sources of education, but I have to make a lot of assumptions on how they trade. Given my education are mostly assumptions, it would probably take me a long time before I reach the expert level. (If I can get there, that is.)
I think the reason why most CFA are lousy traders is because most CFA are career-focused. Most of them get into the investment industry not because they have a genuine desire to make money from the market, but because they just wanted to earn the high salary associated with managing money. I am sure there are a few of them that have a genuine interest in making money from the market, but there are very few out there. (some may have gotten distracted by their salary tho) Personally, I just want to get the CFA to get a good paying job, to live a normal life, and to fund my account.
Thanks for the advices and the encouragement!
PA
Quote from nokomisjeff:
By law you need a Series 7 for sales of securities.....you're not absolutely required by law to have a CFA to manage money. If you were good enough, you could manage a $20 Billion hedge fund without a CFA without problems except registration under the new rules.
Jeff