Want to Work in Capital Markets? Start the Online Training Taken by Professionals on Wall Street

Get the Practical Skills You Need to Break into Capital Markets

You’ve received your finance degree, submitted numerous job applications and you’re patiently waiting to start your career in capital markets. Or perhaps you’re looking to switch positions within finance and you’ve been networking diligently. In theory, you should hear back from employers within a few weeks offering you interviews for your dream job.

Alas, you understand the reality that front-office positions in capital markets - both buy-side and sell-side - are notoriously difficult to break into.

If you have limited or no professional experience or industry connections, how do you upskill and get that capital markets job? Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) has created the applied Capital Markets & Securities Analyst (CMSA)™ online training specifically for those looking to build their skills in capital markets.

Each year, CFI courses are taken by hundreds of thousands of people who are looking to build practical skills and achieve one of the following goals:

• Land their first job
• Get a promotion
• Change roles

Online Training? But that Doesn’t Offer Guaranteed Employment?

Often brushed aside on the basis that it won’t guarantee employment or a promotion, online training from Corporate Finance Institute will guarantee real-world practical content which can increase your opportunities and can put you ahead of other candidates.

That’s what university degrees are for?

True, finance degrees are an essential piece of the capital markets employment puzzle. They provide a strong foundational knowledge of academic finance and you can build applied knowledge by working through lots of industry casework. However, simply graduating college and achieving decent grades won’t guarantee employment. Why? University courses are mainly theoretical and academic, resulting in graduates lacking the practical hands-on experience required and valued by employers.

At the end of the day, anyone can add a designation or degree to their job applications, but what applicants generally lack is the kind of hands-on experience offered in CFI courses. The real-world knowledge developed in CFI courses will enable you to excel in your interview assessments by showcasing the type of skills that employers are actively seeking.

CMSA Courses Cover All Aspects of Capital Markets 

Whether you’re looking to break into the buy-side or sell-side, the 18-course CMSA program will allow you to explore various asset classes, product groups, and also get into more granular concepts like trading strategies, as well as the market conventions and tools used in capital markets.

Not only will the CMSA give you the knowledge you need to confidently speak with industry professionals, but the content will also empower you with the information you need to explore the world of finance fully. After all, you cannot explore what you do not know exists. The CMSA will help you develop a firm understanding of the scope and size of the capital markets and the multitude of different careers available.

Whether you are looking to break into the industry, climb the corporate ladder, or shift roles, this certification is an opportunity to develop the tools you need to succeed. It is designed to teach all the skills needed to excel on the job as a capital markets & securities analyst.

How Is This Online Training Delivered?

Over the last 22 years, CFI instructors have delivered training almost exclusively in-person at some of the most well-known banks and financial institutions across the world and have worked on the buy-side and sell-side at the largest bulge-bracket firms. More recently, thousands of hours have been spent transforming these valuable instructor-led workshops into the world-class online training that is offered by CFI today. As a result, over 700,000 people globally have now taken CFI training courses either online or through their industry-leading corporate training programs.

In terms of CMSA program delivery, the course library is split into prep courses to review the fundamentals of capital markets, followed by a set of core courses to help you build a strong foundation in capital markets, and finally by a set of elective courses to allow you to focus on specific topics and skills you are interested in.

Throughout these self-paced courses, CFI instructors explain everything from the perspective of what is useful and practical knowledge - from how different groups within capital markets work together, to how a derivative is priced. For example, with the aid of simulations and case studies, you will learn how to make an investment thesis, as well as identify commonly used trading strategies and what their purpose is in real-world scenarios.

Finally, to complete the program and receive your Capital Markets & Securities Analyst certificate, you are required to demonstrate your knowledge through lesson quizzes and end of course assessments.

How Can This Course Add Value To My Career?

Overall, the aim upon completion is for you to have gained a sense of clarity in your pursuits in finance. The 50+ hours of video content have not been developed to simply help you pass a test or build theory-based knowledge, but rather, they’ve been built to teach you how to perform real daily tasks encountered by those actually working in capital markets.

For sure, theory-based knowledge is critical, but that doesn’t help you when you’re back at your desk, needing to execute a trade for a client, unwind a swap, or calculate carry and rolldown on a trade. Developing practical capital market skills will help you excel when you’re in your office completing real-world analysis.

Validated By The Global Corporate Finance Society

CFI courses have been delivered to tens of thousands of students at top universities, investment banks, accounting firms, and operating companies across the world. To ensure the highest possible educational standards are met and quality of content is never sacrificed, all CFI courses are regularly reviewed by the Global Corporate Finance Society.

As well as an independent body of industry professionals working to ensure excellence, Corporate Finance Institute is accredited by the Better Business Bureau® (BBB). The BBB is a private, nonprofit organization that has been advancing marketplace trust for over 100 years. To maintain accreditation standards, CFI follows the BBB standards for accreditation which have been developed following the BBB Standards for Trust.

Visit the Capital Markets & Securities Analyst (CMSA)™ website if you wish to learn how the CMSA certification program can help you break into capital markets and become a top-quality analyst.