<p>If you want to be able to build a successful portfolio, it&#8217;s important to get a good sense of your investing goals and your knowledge of the market. Maybe mutual funds are right for you. More self-directed investors might be interested in stocks or more diversified indexed products, such as exchange-traded funds.</p>
<p>With <em>MoneySense</em>&#8216;s May 7 Invest for Success event coming up, editor-in-chief David Thomas asked Norm Rothery–<em>MoneySense</em> contributing editor, <a href="http://www.moneysense.ca/columns/value-hunter/" >Value Hunter columnist</a> and chartered financial analyst—to share a tip with our readers on the first question investors should ask themselves before buying stocks.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s his response:</p>
<blockquote><p>Budding stock pickers should figure out how much time and effort they want to devote to their investing activities.  Some traders are active all day while dividend investors might take a more relaxed attitude due to their focus on the long term. Pick the approach that best suits you.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/bonds/the-new-rules-of-bond-investing/">The new rules of bond investing » </a></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/moneysense-event-invest-for-success-2016/" rel="attachment wp-att-154004"><img class="alignleft wp-image-154004 size-full" src="http://www.moneysense.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IFS_FACEBOOK_HEADER.jpg" alt="IFS_FACEBOOK_HEADER stock picker" width="401" height="217" srcset="http://www.moneysense.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IFS_FACEBOOK_HEADER-300x162.jpg 300w, http://www.moneysense.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IFS_FACEBOOK_HEADER.jpg 401w, http://www.moneysense.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IFS_FACEBOOK_HEADER-400x217.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a>Want to learn more?</p>
<p>Hear Norm Rothery and others, including Kurt Reiman, chief investment strategist for BlackRock Canada and <em>MoneySense</em> columnists Dan Bortolotti share more investing tips on <a href="http://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/moneysense-event-invest-for-success-2016/" >May 7 in Toronto</a>.</p>
<p>Tickets to Invest for Success <a href="http://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/moneysense-event-invest-for-success-2016/">are still available</a>. You won&#8217;t want to miss out. <a href="http://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/moneysense-event-invest-for-success-2016/">Register now</a>!</p>
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<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/find-out-what-kind-of-stock-picker-you-are/">What kind of stock picker are you?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.moneysense.ca/">MoneySense</a>.</p>
