CFA

Hello,
CFA stands for Chartered financial analyst. It is one of the top professional courses that is used in the real time world. It is also competitive and tougher exam to crack.
It has three levels namely 1, 2 & 3. If you have cleared all the three, then you would be a complete CFA whose standard is huge.
After completing CFA level 1, there are not many job opportunities, to be frank. Some prospects are there but you need to possess many skills to get those jobs. In this market, you can survive only if you have additional skills as well as a stand out quality.
You need to improve your presentation skills and Interpretation skills. You need to be different from others even if you sail in the same boat. If you have just passed the level 1 CFA exam, your presentation skills have a larger impact on the quality of the job you can land than your academic credentials.
The following are some of the preparation tips for CFA level 2:
A plan of rigorous study effort is required. You need to remember that, Level II is only held once a year, so you should wait for one whole additional year if you don't make it.
Hard work only pays off and there is no way out. You need to be preparing according to a planned schedule and yes, a long term effort is required for level 2.
You need to prepare in such a way that you could answer the tricky questions in the right way. For that, practice is the only key. The examiner would expect the candidate to have a broad thinking, so that the questions would obviously be tough.
It is important to assess yourself often, so that you can know where to improve and also your current state of preparation. So, you need to have a specific method of preparation.
Finally, taking practice exams, quizzes, or practice questions, really help you increase your answering efficiency staying power of the material that you learn.

Hi,
You can prepare for CFA Level 1 within 6 months or even earlier depending on your style of study.
A good preparation is a function of time, knowledge, practice and commitment.
Time: The earliest you start, the more time you'll have to cover all the topics from top to bottom. The more familiarized you are with the curriculum, the better, and for that you need time. Official statistics say that you need on average 300 hours for level I, I needed 600 hours approx. If you take it in June, some people start studying in February. For me, that's not enough. I think that 6 months is ok. I would recommend that you to take some time off, let's say, two weeks before the exam (when possible). Ask your boss early if this is possible. Do exercises.
Knowledge: It's a long exam and they ask everything. Study well and know the curriculum, you'll have 15 minutes on an average to answer each question, you have to be quick. To be quick, you will need practice and for that read the next point. For studying, I used Schweser's study notes, and for some specific readings also read the official curriculum, they also offer video classes and online courses. Know the different topic weights for the exam, also know the exam format.
Practice: You are not going to pass the exam if you read only. The truth of the matter is that it is a practical exam. You will learn, remember and get the required exam rhythm by doing exercises. Of course that you have to memorize some theoretical concepts, but you don't do that at the beginning (like ethics, and even in ethics you need to do a lot of exercises). You have to test yourself with exercises. The most important are the practice exams. If you get a package like Schweser, you'll have 6 exams. You should be able, at the end of your preparation, to do 3 exams in "real exam conditions", that is strictly by the clock, two blocks of three hours, no materials, no google, no phone, with the approved calculator and pencils and no interruptions. The similar situations to the real exam conditions.
Commitment: Make a study plan and commit to it. Follow it and make the correct adjustments when necessary. Try to be honest on when you can study and for how many hours and be real on your estimates. It's a long process and it is really easy to say once in a while "I'll check that later".
All the best.

Charted Financial Analysts is a complete professional course in its own. One doesn't requires any additional courses with it. But still if you really want to make your resume much more attractive in front of employer and want to have a slight edge over other students then following programs are for you. These programs are:
1. Certified Public Accountants (CPA)- For the ones who have interest in US GAAP.
2. NCFM course- If you have interest in stock exchanges, this course is for you. It is conducted by NSE Mumbai.
3. Certified Financial Planner (CFP)-Certified Financial Planner (CFP) is an international certification program being conducted in the country by Financial Planning Standard Board (FPSB), India.
4. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA-India): The course of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is regulated by ICFAI (Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India) University. It is basically a distance education programme. This course is suitable for students who want to pursue a career in investment industry.
And there are many more. Basically, do what you love and options will automatically come to you.