Dual Certification for the win

Anas Rehman is an ACCA Affiliate, CFA Level III Candidate, a writer and an auditor by profession. He recently cleared his CFA LII exam with top scores and is also a national and regional ACCA prizewinner. His motto in life is, ‘Put your best foot forward and keep progressing’, be it in studies, work or writing. Currently, he is working as a Senior Audit Associate and is handling government clients.

As an ACCA affiliate, what motivated you to pursue the CFA qualification? What do you think is the benefit of pursuing a dual qualification?

I always thought of ACCA as a stepping-stone, not an end point. The ACCA journey developed my interest in Finance and the world of valuations, and CFA turned out to be the qualification encompassing it all. Dual qualifications such as these are extremely beneficial for career progression, especially in the challenging times we are in today, as it opens up a range of opportunities.

How has the CFA qualification equipped you with the skills needed in your current role?

The CFA journey has its own challenges and obstacles, but none that I haven't been able to strive through thanks to my trainers. It has put my abilities to test but looking at it now, I can say it has prepared me even better for my current role. I am currently involved in valuations and investment audit, and the CFA qualification helped me learn the key principles and methods and apply them as well.

Top three tips for other students on how to balance work and professional life?

I think we are extremely used to instant gratification and expect it in every aspect of our life. However we need to sit back and work hard, and the results will follow. My top three tips for students on balancing work and professional life will be:

Don’t focus on how much time is left. It’s all about the effort you put in.

Set your priorities right, otherwise things can get out of hand.

Don’t just dream about your goals, take actions to achieve them.