2011 CFA Level 2

Now it's fnishished and I don't know how to express how glad I am. I have been under the really heavy pressure due to not only the exam itself, but also the feeling that I haven't been a good father nor husband. I have been studying almost all the weekends although I often drove a car to have a dinner with my family.

On top of that, we had a huge earthquake and tsunami; nuke plant crisis in Fukushima continues now. I and my family were temporarily relocated to Singapore in last March for a few weeks. I couldn't study during that time at all.

Additionally, I thought a CFA charter is a ticket to a new career; somewhere not in the asset management industry. (CFA is said to be a qualification mainly for buy-side, but I think it's also beneficial for investment banking and global markets.) I have been feeling stressed because my job was not intellectually stimulated and I could't even imagine that I am doing the same job in the long run. This situation requires me to pass the exam, and increases the importance of the exam. It was a stressful situation, indeed.

I somehow found a job in a boutique financial advisory firm; I was just lucky. The president just wanted to have someone who has an experience in derivatives pricing and risk analysis. Their business is so-called FAS, financial advisory service like BIG4 auditing firms' FAS subsidiary. They specializes in fair valuation of companies and financial products. It's part of an investment banking industry and I'm so excited to join the firm, although it's just abeginning and I need to prove myself. (By the way, I declined a top-tier global investment management firm's offer for a portfolio manager.)

I did a good job in the exam, but I cannot be sure until I get an official result. Anyway, I just finished two import "jobs" and it's time to do two more, most important jobs:(1)doing an excellent job in my new firm to have knowledge, experience, skills, and human network to survive in the financial industry, and (2)being a great father and husband for my family.

2011 CFA Level II Exam - belongings

In the night before the exam day

• Admission Ticket
• Map
• ID(Passport, Driver's license, etc.)
• Mechanical pencil
• Eraser
• Extra lead
• Earplug
• Eye mask (for lunch break)
• Financial Calculator (TI BA II Plus Professional)
• Battery (for the financial calculater)
• Watch(G-SHOCK)
• Mobile phone (with mobile Suica; electronic money/commuter pass in Japan)
• Materials (notebook, Schweser's QuickSheet, etc.)
• Handkerchief
• Folding umbrella

In the morning on the exam day

• Lunch box
• PET bottle (mineral water)
• Snack (chocolate or something sugar-rich)

Unnecessary
• Wallet

Only for December exam
• Underwear for cold protection