Pursuing a finance certification in addition to a professional finance or accounting qualification, or degree is a great idea as it opens up an avenue of opportunities.
While multiple options such as Chartered Accountancy, Chartered Management Accounting, Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Financial Planner Exist, the best Finance Certification or Qualification currently being offered in India is ACCA or Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Here is a short brief on why ACCA is the most suitable and best Finance Certification.
The International Edge:
- ACCA is recognised financial qualification, that is accredited and acknowledged in over 80+ nations. Students who are ACCA associates or members can find gainful employment in the nations that recognise ACCA.
- Some of the papers in ACCA can be customised and taken in accordance to the rules of the location where the candidate resides or chooses to work. This makes it very flexible and gives the candidates an edge when competing in international markets.
- The ACCA qualification is considered equivalent to an undergraduate degree in some nations and even a post graduate degree in others. This makes the qualification particularly valuable as the student can choose to pursue a masters or even a doctorate degree after ACCA.
The Convenience Factor:
- Graduates who have a degree in commerce and other related subjects can get some exemptions for some of the papers in ACCA.
- Students who have completed their CA or Chartered accountancy qualification need not acquire work experience specifically for ACCA as their CA Articleship can be counted as work experience. Furthermore, they will need to only attempt and pass 5 of the 13 papers required to get the ACCA qualification.
- Work experience acquired prior to the qualification can also be used to count for the experience in ACCA. Professionals with experience in banking, finance and accountancy need not specifically undergo practical training.
The Career Factor:
- ACCA graduates are sought after in big firms such as the big 4 accounting firms, banks and financial establishments.
- It helps in the candidate get promoted into better roles in their career.
Other Certifications:
While ACCA is indeed the best certification, students can choose to pursue a combination of certifications as these will only help enhance and make their work portfolio better. Some of the goof financial qualifications that are available in India are:
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
- Financial Risk Management (FRM)
- International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
An MBA or any degree in finance and accounting will also help the student stand in good stead. The cherry on the icing is that most students can pursue two ore more of these qualifications simultaneously and even get exemptions on some of them.