Confucius said: Choose a job you love and you will never work a day in your life.
If you are one of those who has decided to build a Career in Finance, these are some useful tips:-
1. Obtain a Professional Qualification-
CA, CMA, CPA, ACCA, FRM are some premium qualifications, that provide a cutting edge for building a Finance Career.
Depending on the aptitude and inclination these qualifications equips oneself with the wherewithal and the depth of knowledge as well as growth, in the coming years in India as well as abroad. To do so one can enroll with a reputed coaching institute for training. However, this is not mandatory.2.
2. Networking and seeking a Mentor–
It would be mean to network with professionals and companies and join forums like Linkedin etc and other social media platforms to connect with seniors, who would guide as well as provide opportunities.
As in the ancient days, there used to be Guru/wisemen, who would share experiences and insights, it would be very useful to seek a Mentor or a Role Model. Invest in professional friendships with your peers while you are in training. This would give a support in difficult times and clarity in direction.
3. Soft Skills and Communication–
In current times, this aspect cannot be overemphasized. Honing ones soft skills and good communication in the Work from Home (WFH) era is all the more important as efficiency and productivity would be judged by this. The efficient interactions with seniors, team members and external stakeholders would minimize miscommunication or misunderstandings, if one improves one’s soft skills and communication.
There are various e learning portals,webinars, online training that can be enrolled to fine tune this area.
4. Continuous Learning and Rebooting–
As there are numerous legislation which are ever changing it is imperative that a Finance Professional has to learn-unlearn-relearn and reboot oneself. For a professional to stand out in the crowd, he should be well equipped with relevant knowledge. This knowledge needs to be upgraded from time to time.
This may be easily accomplished by reading journals, attending webinars and online training.
Learning software like Tally, Zoho, QuickBooks and Excel is a good way to prepare oneself as it would make the candidates ready for entry level jobs.5.
5. New Horizons-
Due to globalization of commerce and digitalization, there are a new horizon that signals the dawn of the new era.
AI/Robotics Processions/Data Analytics/IOT are some domains which Finance Professionals would do well to familiarize oneself. These areas offer tools and skill sets which facilitate work of a Finance Professional.
Conclusion:
The American Actor Christopher Reeves ,who played Superman in four movies was paralysed completely for 10 years due to an accident, once said- So many of our dreams at first seem impossible,then they seem improbable and when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.
The above quote is inspirational from the actor, who though paralysed set up a charity for millions suffering from paralysis.
This is a call to urge all the Finance Professionals to get inspired and reach out to achieve their true potential.
Author : G.Srikumar, FCA, Independent Director.
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