Sometimes referred to as a securities or investment analyst, the financial analyst is concerned with providing a comprehensive understanding of the financial status of a given investment opportunity. A qualified chartered financial analyst can find employment in a number of different settings. Among the choices for work that are open to the CFA are positions within banks, investment firms, mutual and pension funds, and insurance companies.

Chartered financial analysts tend to have a talent for doing research. Because one of the key roles of a financial analyst has to do with gathering data that influences the decision to invest in a particular venture, the competent analyst will be aware of the obvious sources of pertinent financial data. Along with the common sources, the analyst will also have some creative ideas of unorthodox routes of investigation that may be necessary to locate relevant information.

The financial analyst does more than simply assemble data into a spreadsheet and pass it along. In many cases, financial analysts have to ask some hard questions and stay with the process until answers are secured and verified. This job may mean looking into all aspects of the operation of a company, even some aspects that may not seem to be directly connected to the task. By taking a broad approach to gathering data, it is possible for the financial analysts to develop potential trends for the company or other investment opportunity, based on the indicators that make up the analysis.

In order to convey the findings of these types of comprehensive research, the financial analyst will prepare reports that cite sources, provide facts, and make recommendations for future actions. The exact structure of the report may vary from one setting to another. As an example, the financial analyst that works in the field of commercial lending may base the report on a format that is referred to as a balance sheet analysis. While the exact format may vary somewhat, there is no doubt that the financial analyst is an important part of any serious attempt to make financial decisions.