Queries on obtaining the CFA charter experience, membership, currently, obtaining, recommend

Houjichasan

I am planning to appear for CFA L1 in Dec this year. However, certain queries come to mind before I make the decision to go ahead.
CFA charterholders and seniors - please guide.
1) Does the 4 year experience requirement have to be recent? Can it be old experience? What if one has 4 years of related workex, but not currently working in the investments area.
2) It is written on the CFA website that you also need 2 sponsors to recommend you for the membership. Do these two need to be from the current / old organizations? Do I need to know them? Please elaborate more on this.
3) Do I need to become a member of the CFA Institute (paying $275) now while appearing for the exams or after completing all levels?
4) It is also mentioned that we need to be a member of a local CFA society to be a charterholder. What society is this? and what is the procedure for this membership? Is there a separate fee for this? I am from India.
Thanks

tarik64

No one here to guide me?

ninja1024

People are studying, and the non-studiers don’t feel like responding

defour44

It need not be recent, as long as you have a combined 4 year relevant experience.
Sponsors needed: One would be your direct supervisor to verify your current duties & responsibilities, the other would be a CFA charterholder and member.
No need to join now, join after you pass all levels if you wish.
Yes, this is a separate CFA society. There will be separate CFA societies where you’re located. The one I found for India after a 5-second Google search was this: http://www.cfasociety.org/india/Pages/default.aspx
Hope it helps!

soverby

usj2 wrote:
Yes, this is a separate CFA society. There will be separate CFA societies where you’re located. The one I found for India after a 5-second Google search was this: http://www.cfasociety.org/india/Pages/default.aspx
I’d add:
if your place of business is more than 50 miles from the nearerst CFA society, you are allowed to skip  that membership  and save the $$$ (or rupees in your case)
you don’t necessarily need to join the closest CFA society, some people shop around and find one with lower dues