Take the Canadian Securities Course and Get Coles Notes
September 27, 2019 6:57 PM Subscribe
I'm going to apply for a job for which the Canadian Securities Course is "an assett." I haven't taken the course. I will propose to take it. This will have more credibility if I have a plan. The problem is that I thought the job app was due in like a month and it's due much sooner. So now I'm rushing. Can you tell me A) How does this course work. Where do I look up course dates or whatever? and B) Can you point me to some Coles-notes type outline of the course -- I'm not looking for study materials, more an detailed paragraph-based summary of what the course covers just so I know what it is I don't know/know what I would be learning, so I can talk about it intelligently.
Best answer: I've taken the Canadian Securities Course.
Here's a brief description of what it is - but basically, it's an overview of capital markets and investments in Canada, regulation of the industry, how certain types of investment products/services work, and some basics of financial statement analysis and portfolio management.
It's offered by the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI), and acts as a prerequisite course for more advanced courses in investment management and so on offered by CSI.
You enrol in the course, paying a fee up front, and textbooks are included in the fee. It's self-directed study, and then you book an exam sitting at a time when you think you've studied enough and are ready to take it. They'll have a list of sittings available once you've enrolled, anywhere from a few weeks to a few months hence. There is no fee for the first exam sitting you book (if you need to retake it, you have to pay an additional fee though).
There are also extra prep/study things you can sign up for, but those cost extra and most people (myself included, and I'm not someone you could describe as "mathematically inclined") do fine with just the textbooks.
Enrolling lets you truthfully tell a prospective employer "I'm currently enrolled in the Canadian Securities Course with an expected completion date of [reasonable estimate of month/year]." And enrolment is as simple as signing up online and paying the enrolment fee. When you want to take the exam to complete the course is up to you at that point, obviously.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:42 PM on September 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
Here's a brief description of what it is - but basically, it's an overview of capital markets and investments in Canada, regulation of the industry, how certain types of investment products/services work, and some basics of financial statement analysis and portfolio management.
It's offered by the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI), and acts as a prerequisite course for more advanced courses in investment management and so on offered by CSI.
You enrol in the course, paying a fee up front, and textbooks are included in the fee. It's self-directed study, and then you book an exam sitting at a time when you think you've studied enough and are ready to take it. They'll have a list of sittings available once you've enrolled, anywhere from a few weeks to a few months hence. There is no fee for the first exam sitting you book (if you need to retake it, you have to pay an additional fee though).
There are also extra prep/study things you can sign up for, but those cost extra and most people (myself included, and I'm not someone you could describe as "mathematically inclined") do fine with just the textbooks.
Enrolling lets you truthfully tell a prospective employer "I'm currently enrolled in the Canadian Securities Course with an expected completion date of [reasonable estimate of month/year]." And enrolment is as simple as signing up online and paying the enrolment fee. When you want to take the exam to complete the course is up to you at that point, obviously.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:42 PM on September 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Should note that you've got one year from the date of enrollment to complete the final exam (there's one for each of the two course modules).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:00 PM on September 27, 2019
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:00 PM on September 27, 2019
Response by poster: And enrolment is as simple as signing up online and paying the enrolment fee.
Thanks, but it looks like enrolling costs $1000, so I'm not sure I'm willing to do that just so I can add that sentence to my cover letter. Is there any other way to signal "for real, I've looked into this, and have an actual plan for being able to get this done and am not just saying 'I could take it' because that's easy to say and I'll figure out if I can after you hire me." Like I want to signal A) Very strong interest in the job and B) Initiative/preparation etc. But I'd like to do it without spending $1000. Though I'd be happy to drop the $1000 the day after I sign a contract.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:01 PM on September 27, 2019
Thanks, but it looks like enrolling costs $1000, so I'm not sure I'm willing to do that just so I can add that sentence to my cover letter. Is there any other way to signal "for real, I've looked into this, and have an actual plan for being able to get this done and am not just saying 'I could take it' because that's easy to say and I'll figure out if I can after you hire me." Like I want to signal A) Very strong interest in the job and B) Initiative/preparation etc. But I'd like to do it without spending $1000. Though I'd be happy to drop the $1000 the day after I sign a contract.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:01 PM on September 27, 2019
Response by poster: Hmm...ok, so based on understanding now that there's only one course provider and looking at their web site, I figured there's only one textbook (not like the GRE or whatever, say), I have located a copy of the textbook and looked through it and could of course beginning looking through it more between application and possible interview.
Would you, people who know about the course, be happy to read something along the lines of "I have borrowed a copy of the Canadian Securities Course textbook from a friend to gain a deeper understanding of the credential. Based on my examination of the materials and the CSIs recommendation of 150-200 hours of study time, I am confident I could complete the course by Month Year." ?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:08 PM on September 27, 2019
Would you, people who know about the course, be happy to read something along the lines of "I have borrowed a copy of the Canadian Securities Course textbook from a friend to gain a deeper understanding of the credential. Based on my examination of the materials and the CSIs recommendation of 150-200 hours of study time, I am confident I could complete the course by Month Year." ?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:08 PM on September 27, 2019
Yeah, it's gotten way more expensive in the last few years.
Is there any other way to signal "for real, I've looked into this
I've applied for (and been offered) jobs that have said it was an "asset" before actually enrolling in the course, so absolutely.
Something like "I am planning to enrol in the Canadian Securities Course in fall 2019" or something similar should sufficiently signal that interest/planning. In my experience, it's also something that can be addressed at the interview stage (particularly the initial HR phone screening interview that's pretty standard procedure at most financial institutions and related companies where the CSC would be desired or required).
The other thing is that a good number of employers who want or prefer you to have it will pay for or subsidize the cost of it once you're working for them (depends on the employer, but it's very much a thing).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:15 PM on September 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
Is there any other way to signal "for real, I've looked into this
I've applied for (and been offered) jobs that have said it was an "asset" before actually enrolling in the course, so absolutely.
Something like "I am planning to enrol in the Canadian Securities Course in fall 2019" or something similar should sufficiently signal that interest/planning. In my experience, it's also something that can be addressed at the interview stage (particularly the initial HR phone screening interview that's pretty standard procedure at most financial institutions and related companies where the CSC would be desired or required).
The other thing is that a good number of employers who want or prefer you to have it will pay for or subsidize the cost of it once you're working for them (depends on the employer, but it's very much a thing).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:15 PM on September 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
Not based at all on an understanding of the course, but only an opinion about job application phrasing, I’d suggest editing out some distracting details of your proposed sentences. I’d like this better: “Based on my examination of the Canadian Securities Course textbook and the CSI’s recommendations, I plan to complete the course by Month Year."
posted by daisyace at 7:03 AM on September 28, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by daisyace at 7:03 AM on September 28, 2019 [4 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
The Canadian Securities Course consists of two exams and must be completed within 1 year of registration in the course. Students of the course can extend their course and book both exams but attain a passing score of 60% per exam. The course requires between 150 and 200 hours of study.
posted by hepta at 7:37 PM on September 27, 2019