IMC - Investment Management Certificate? Any Advice

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jamesw2000

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Hi Everyone, just registered today - I've been reading the boards for a while but never posted - so hello!

Has anyone ever done the IMC Investment Management Certificate, I'm looking at taking it and paying out of my own pocket, the exams seem pretty reasonably priced but the coursebook is £100 as well - anyone know where I can download it for free?;)

If anyone else has taken this exam, how useful was it to your career? I'm looking at appluing for middle office, trade administration / settlements roles - is there any other qualifications that would be of use? - SII maybe?

Any advice would be gratefully received - cheers, James.
 
Apply for IMC

Can you tell me please where should I go to apply for the IMC exam? I want to do it now but my company wont pay for it yet.
I can't find the website... only ones like 7city learning. I just want to apply for the exam, I'll do all the study by myself.

Many thanks
 
IMC advice?

I've just started the distance-learning IMC with BPP Financial. The study notes reckon it takes around 100 hours of study. Of course, this dependes on how much effort you put in to those 100 hours.
I have no background in finance and am finding some of the terminology a bit tough going. I reckon that after immersing myself in it, then it'll become clearer. Kind of like learning the basics of a foreign language. If Fabio can do it...

Can anyone let me know how fluid the industry is? Is it possible to move between jobs and firms quite easily?
 
Hi I recently purchased the IMC unit 2 distance learning from BPP and have had a change of heart to studying towards this, i have the new syllabus 7 for Jan 09-July 09 and looking for a buyer, I purchased this for a total of £305.00 and happy to sell for £250.00 or nearest offer, the books and question bank are brand new and I have not even read from them yet, if you or if you know anyone interested please email me at [email protected].
 
Its not that difficult, I finished it in September last year, it will take a lot less than the reccomended study hours. Also I read, there were concerns about no finance background, I study IT at uni, and I still didnt find it that difficult, the books from BPP are very good.
I have applied to quite a few investment mgmt companies, I struggled to get interviews. Ithink thats more to do with the current climate.
Anyway best of luck with IMC.
 
I sat the IMC about 8 years ago now when I was relatively new to the fund management industry. If that is your desired industry then I'd say the IMC is an absolute must, a minimum in fact as almost everybody has it from senior people down to p.a.'s and secretaries. Its basically the industry minimum standard and you'll fine it hard to get any decent job without it. Of course, skills and experience more than outweigh having the IMC, but its a box-ticking exercise many focus on. It certainly did me no harm and I always encourage my staff to take it for their own development.

Its not difficult and even for people with limited experience I'd say 30-50 hours will get you through. Its mostly factual information that needs to be retained (FSA rules, regulations, ethics etc) with some entry level maths (pricing a stock, bond etc). Its challenge is that its quite a broad syllabus without going into anything in any real depth.

I think now you can sit it in two stages if you want to break up the study. All computer based and multiple choice with extensive practice questions available through your training provider (7-city etc). Many people comment that there are only a finite number of exam questions out there and so many of the questions you'll practice with will come up in the exam.

Once you have got your IMC done there is a wealth of options for more serious and career advancing qualifications if you wish but depends on your path. If you want to hit the heights in the front office then the CFA exams will prove a tough test, but are considered the gateway to running money as a portfolio manager or analyst. Other exist too, and a popular one at the moment is the CFA equivalent for alternative investments (CIAI i think) focusing on hedge funds, private equity etc (generally where the industry is moving towards)

Hope that helps.

p.s. would not recommend home study if you are new to it. The training companies have 95% pass rates for training with them and their services are great, podcasts, download class notes onto your ipod etc. Quite high-tech learning, online webinars etc.
 
Im interested in purchasing the full IMC course either from BPP or Seven Citys. If you have recently completed it and still have the course material, please msg me to discuss prices.
I am in Australia, so you'll need to post to me.

thanks
 
IMC is considered the benchmark qualification for almost all investment management & fund management firms. My experience of it is that most firms like you to take it regardless of what position you are in as it looks good on them to have as many FSA approved persons working for them as possible... that said it probably isn't that relevant to many back office & ops roles but it certainly won't do you any harm having a better understanding of the industry you work in. As for the difficulty, if you read the books and do the practice questions & exams you should have no problem. If you can afford to do it though i'd definitely advise going on a course, not so much for their teaching methods, but for the fact that they will tell you exactly which bits to learn & which bits of the book you can afford to miss out. I haven't actually taken the IMC yet but have been looking through a friends material but I have sat the IAQ & SII Certificates & you generally don't need to spend much more than the two - three days on the course to get a good pass mark which is considerably less time than the 100hrs they recommend...
which ever way you do it its gonna be quite costly so i'd seriously consider whether it was worth taking - most employers will be more than happy to pay for you do it & in the current climate are probably more concerned about finding people with hands on experience than a certificate to say they know x amount about the industry!!
 
Dear All,

Hello. I have been reading this form and wanted to get an advice if any one can provide. I really need the correct advice to go in the right direction. Many thanks in advance for reading the following text.

Please note at present I am studing Chartered Institute of Management Accountants at Managerial Level and want to build up a career in Investment Banking.

At present I am working as an Accounts Assistante in a software company.

Hence, please can you advise which qualification should I pursue to get an entry level position in an Investment Bank.

Moreover, please advise with my present background and future plans of pursuing a qualification in Investment Banking, are there any chances for me to get an entry in Investment Banking?

Please note I am funding my studies on my own and have a family as well. Hence, I will be more than obliged if I get correct advice.

Kind Regards.
 
Divyam said:
Dear All,

Hello. I have been reading this form and wanted to get an advice if any one can provide. I really need the correct advice to go in the right direction. Many thanks in advance for reading the following text.

Please note at present I am studing Chartered Institute of Management Accountants at Managerial Level and want to build up a career in Investment Banking.

At present I am working as an Accounts Assistante in a software company.

Hence, please can you advise which qualification should I pursue to get an entry level position in an Investment Bank.

Moreover, please advise with my present background and future plans of pursuing a qualification in Investment Banking, are there any chances for me to get an entry in Investment Banking?

Please note I am funding my studies on my own and have a family as well. Hence, I will be more than obliged if I get correct advice.

Kind Regards.
Click to expand...

If you haven't got relevant experience then doing something like the IMC or FSA exams will not really help. Doing the CFA could help a bit but since you are on a trading forum I assume that you want to get an entry level front office (trading etc) position. Sorry but it is very unlikely that you will jump into such a position. My best advice would be to either do your CFA and then try and get into a middle office position and work/network your way into a trading position (this would have probably been a fairly high probability route until 2007 but now even this route is v.hard as competition for middle office roles is intense). Otherwise, I would probably advise doing a masters at a "good" b-school/uni. (I assume you have an undergrad degree already). Sorry but the way that the job market is at the moment, people with experience are still finding it difficult to get positions so that means for those without any, the probability of success is very slim.

Chris
 
daxter22 said:
I sat the IMC about 8 years ago now when I was relatively new to the fund management industry. If that is your desired industry then I'd say the IMC is an absolute must, a minimum in fact as almost everybody has it from senior people down to p.a.'s and secretaries. Its basically the industry minimum standard and you'll fine it hard to get any decent job without it. Of course, skills and experience more than outweigh having the IMC, but its a box-ticking exercise many focus on. It certainly did me no harm and I always encourage my staff to take it for their own development.

Its not difficult and even for people with limited experience I'd say 30-50 hours will get you through. Its mostly factual information that needs to be retained (FSA rules, regulations, ethics etc) with some entry level maths (pricing a stock, bond etc). Its challenge is that its quite a broad syllabus without going into anything in any real depth.

I think now you can sit it in two stages if you want to break up the study. All computer based and multiple choice with extensive practice questions available through your training provider (7-city etc). Many people comment that there are only a finite number of exam questions out there and so many of the questions you'll practice with will come up in the exam.

Once you have got your IMC done there is a wealth of options for more serious and career advancing qualifications if you wish but depends on your path. If you want to hit the heights in the front office then the CFA exams will prove a tough test, but are considered the gateway to running money as a portfolio manager or analyst. Other exist too, and a popular one at the moment is the CFA equivalent for alternative investments (CIAI i think) focusing on hedge funds, private equity etc (generally where the industry is moving towards)

Hope that helps.

p.s. would not recommend home study if you are new to it. The training companies have 95% pass rates for training with them and their services are great, podcasts, download class notes onto your ipod etc. Quite high-tech learning, online webinars etc.
Click to expand...





Well I think IMC is very good for entry level and than CFA & CAIA..I wish to attend IMC exam soon,but its too much expensive for all Training providers,rather I bought OFT manual from CFA institute and studying my own ..just study books..I think its OK..let see what result ..Thanks
 
I have the IMC videos which I paid £60 for, happy to exchange them for cash or for the derivatives study book.
 
Ali3018 said:
I have the IMC videos which I paid £60 for, happy to exchange them for cash or for the derivatives study book.
Click to expand...


Hello, have you still got these videos please, or do you know who else may have these to sell?
 
So did you purchase the official training manual from the CFA Society for IMC or did 7city include it the price?

Only as quartic training includes it in their pack, more expensive but works out to be cheaper if you were going to get the official manual.

Still wondering who to go for.
Thanks
 
I have the below all in a good condition for sale:

The Investment Management Certificate (IMC) study materials (7city) – Edition 16 (2010):
- Unit 1 - Investment Environment - Study Book + 3 day course slide pack with notes + checkpoint book
- Unit 2 - Investment Practice - Study Book + 2 day course slide pack with notes + Checkpoint book + CD
- Unit 1 & 2 practice questions and mock exams
-IMC exam overview and study planner
-Question bank and practice examinations for unit 1 and 2 from BPP study book also included
 
Hi LadyAna

Could you tell me what price + P&P you have in mind for all of the mentioned.

Regards,
Marius
 
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