A CFA candidate updates resume claiming eligibility for the CFA charter upon completion of required work experience. Is this a violation of the CFA Institute Code and Standards?

• A. Quinn violated the Code and Standards by claiming he finished the CFA Program.
• B. Quinn violated the Code and Standards by incorrectly stating that he is eligible for the CFA charter.
• C. Quinn did not violate the Code and Standards with his resume update.
• D. Quinn may discuss areas of practice where the CFA Program improved his skills.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that statements about professional credentials must be accurate and not misleading. The CFA charter is a specific credential that is earned only after passing all three exam levels and meeting the required work experience and reference conditions. Saying you are “eligible for the CFA charter” implies you have or are about to receive the charter, which isn’t guaranteed and can mislead readers about your actual status.

Because of that, updating the resume to claim eligibility constitutes a misrepresentation under the CFA Institute Code and Standards. A compliant way to reflect status would be to say you are a CFA candidate or pursuing the CFA designation, or that you expect to complete the requirements by a certain date, without implying that the charter has been earned or that eligibility has been officially granted.