There are a variety of existing financial professional designations and certifications at present, but among the hundreds of designations, the certified investment management analyst (CIMA) certification is one of the most respected and valued in the industry.
Individuals seeking financial experts who specialise in investments may wish to consider CIMA-certified professionals.
What do certified investment management analysts do?
CIMA-certified professionals are typically those who have attained an advanced level of competency to provide appropriate investment advice to individual and institutional clients.
These professionals generally focus on due diligence, asset allocation or portfolio construction, ethics, investment performance and policies, as well as risk measurement and mitigation strategies to help their clients make informed investment decisions.
What differentiates CIMA-certified professionals from the rest?
Financial professionals with a CIMA certification have acquired the appropriate education, training, skills and experience to pass a set of arduous examinations to obtain the designation. They are also practicing according to the high ethical standards set by the Investments & Wealth Institute (or IWI and formerly IMCA).
CIMA-certified professionals can guarantee the following to their clients:
Experience
Before financial professionals get accepted in the CIMA program, they must first acquire the necessary three years of verifiable financial service experience.
Education
Aside from the required education background in finance, they are also required to enrol in a 1-year CIMA certification program conducted by accredited educational institutions. For Australians, the appropriate course is the Investment Management Analyst Course (IMAC) jointly delivered by Portfolio Construction Forum and a select faculty from the top Australian business universities.
The CIMA certification must also be renewed every two years and this requires at least 40 hours of continuing education over the recertification period.
Exam
Professionals must pass rigorous examinations composed of the 4-hour IMAC exams and the 5-hour global certification exam.
Ethics
Ethics considers both the past and future performance of the candidate. The IWI admissions committee would first review the candidate’s experience to ensure that they conducted their practice according to acceptable ethical standards.
Upon passing the rigorous examinations and receiving the CIMA certification, professionals must commit to IWI’s high ethical standards. Should they fail to conform, IWI reserves the right to strip them of their certification.
Do I need a CIMA-certified professional for my investment plans?
The CIMA certification is a trademark of excellence among investment professionals due to the certified professional’s commitment, knowledge and skills about the investment market. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that other professionals are incapable of achieving similar results.
It is still up to you if you wish to partner with a CIMA-certified professional to help them achieve their investment goals.
If you are unsure about the type of financial professional to approach, we recommend reading Nest Egg's quick guide to the Five financial planning designations you need to know.
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We Translate Complicated Financial Jargon Into Easy-To-Understand Information For Australians
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