Options after BCOM : With only around 14000 seats to grab, numerous students aspire to secure a seat in one of the most prestigious courses offered across the country- B.com(P) and B.com(H).
And if you are already pursuing this course then your name has been enrolled in the list of those fortunate ones.While writing your last paper of final year of B.Com, tons of thoughts go through your mind, most of which include plans about sleeping the entire week or partying an entire week (depends on your preferences).
But trust me,none of them are taking place. As soon as you finish your exams you have your parents, relatives, neighbours and everyone on your Facebook and Instagram contacts asking you about your future plans. And no, not your partying or sleeping plans but your career after B.Com plans.
So don’t be afraid or stressed out if you haven’t figured out your career plan yet. After 3 years of meticulous learning, this course offers you various opportunities to embellish your career. I have jotted down a few options to help you through and also some pro-tips from personal experiences that might turn out to be handy. Plus, a few job options to land into right after graduation.
The Most Common Choices-
1. Chartered Accountant (CA) : One of the most common careers that cross every commerce student’s mind is CA. CA exams are conducted by Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAI) and require one to clear 3 Examinations over the period of time that are CPT, IPCC and Final CA. Since you are done with your graduation, you are eligible to directly appear for IPCC which consists of two groups. After clearing one of the groups, a student is required to register for articles with experienced CA’s for a period of two and a half years. After clearing both groups of IPCC and successfully completing your articles you can appear for Final CA. Final CA again has two groups and after clearing both the groups, you can proudly affix the words CA before your name.
Pro Tip : you can also go for this course while you’re still graduating. But for this you need to be really really sure of your choice and be prepared to study hard.
2. M.COM : Done with the B.Com now next what? I am sure most of you said M.Com.The very first option is masters in your own subjects. It is a two year program and you can pursue it from any of the recognized institutes. Students interested in research can opt for M.com followed by MPhil and Ph.D. . M.Com is a program that focuses on systematic study of Accounting, Business, Finance, Economics, Statistics, Taxation, Marketing and Management and therefore it gives insights about all the fields. This set of qualifications offers nice teaching jobs as associate professors at the university level.
Pro Tip : You can also appear for masters in the subject you chose as your general elective (GE) in college but only on one condition and that is, As per UGC guidelines,you must have studied the same subject for all four consecutive semesters.
3. Masters of Business Administration In Finance (MBA) : All time famous MBA is like a wishing well in which every year thousands of students slip there coins. There is always someone in the family who will advise you to pursue MBA. Students should be very clear about, in what subjects they want to get specialization in their MBA, even before filling its application form. A good career in MBA totally depends on the credibility of the institute that you are pursuing from. If you are an IIM student then success will follow you to your doorsteps but doing MBA from an ordinary and not much renowned institute will only add numbers to the list of unemployed MBAs. The results of your CAT exams determine the institute where you can pursue the MBA program. It is a two year program on completion of which you can easily get job in financial service sector. You can also choose an executive program in applied finance which is a complete value addition for a commerce graduate. This course is exclusively offered by IIM Calcutta.
Pro Tip : you will see a lot of students joining coaching institutes in their third semesters and hence you might feel slightly pressurized to pick up your pace. But relax, you can join any coaching institute anytime you want, be it fourth semester, fifth semester or even after you have finished your graduation for that matter. But just be sure that you want to pursue MBA in a particular field. Try not to be dicey on your choices. Also, if not taking professional help, you can always take assistance form the all-rounder-“ Google-Devta”.
4. Actuarial Science : The much-hyped course remains untapped due to the myth that ” ye to aukat ke bahar hai Bhai!”. Actuarial science includes subjects related to risk analysis and lands you after successful completion mostly in the finance and insurance sector. This course requires high mathematical and statistical skills and marks at +2 level as well.
Pro Tip : You can opt for actuarial science while you’re still graduating and score well. Not much difficult, but this course requires consistent practice and clarity of concepts. Also, don’t be in a hurry to clear all the stages at once. After clearing the 5th stage, wait for sometime and see the placement pattern. Only then make a decision to move ahead and clear all the stages or take up a job.
5. CRISIL Certified Analyst Programme : Not much known to all, this course offered by CRISIL with Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) as it’s academic partner, provides you with live projects on various research and analysis subjects. It offers a more liberal syllabus than other masters courses. Being a professional course, it lands you at a good earning option. CRISIL conducts its own aptitude test, it also gives direct admissions based on CAT, XAT and GMAT scores. Fees for the program are comparatively low.
Let’s go International-
1. Certified Management Accountant (CMA) : If you have plans of going global or working in the Top MNCs then going for international certifications is the right choice for you. The CMA is offered by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) USA and the content is regularly reviewed by the Institute of Certified Management Accountants (ICMA). To become a CMA, a student is required to clear two examinations. CMA demonstrates your professional expertise in financial planning, analysis, control, decision support, and professional ethics – making you the preferred choice of the potential employers.
2. Certified Public Accounting (CPA) : A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is the highest standard of competence in the field of Accountancy across the globe. The exam is administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), which is the world’s largest accounting body. A CPA qualification is similar to the Indian CA qualification. In addition to the CA qualification, a CPA will have knowledge of US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), Generally Accepted Accounting Standards (GAAS), US federal taxation and business laws. This gives great advantage to a CPA when working with US Based Financial firms or Indian firms working for US clients. This exam consists of 4 exams which can be completed within a period of less than a year. Pursuing CPA after completing CA, M.Com, CS, MBA in finance, ICWA can also help your career to a great extent.
3. Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) : ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the world’s leading and fastest-growing international accountancy organization with 162,000 members and 428,000 students in 173 countries. The ACCA qualification helps develop successful careers in the fields of accounting, banking, management and consulting, and is a major advantage in competing for senior roles. ACCA is considered to be very similar to CA but ACCA program provides you with additional knowledge about UK GAAP, IFRS and laws which makes ACCA superior to CA. To successfully complete your ACCA program you will need to clear 14 paper (lesser in case of Exemptions).
Additional Options-
Diploma Courses : You can go for the various available diploma courses, which will provide you a platform to enter corporates and government jobs as well. Diploma courses in Treasury and Forex management, Merchant Banking and Financial Service, Export-Import , foreign trade and so on, can help you to build your profile. There are different executive programs offered by various renowned institutes such as Narsee Monjee, FMS, etc. Also, there are courses offered on weekends for working professionals.
Jobs After Graduation-
1. Government jobs through Entrance Exams : You can try your hands in the conventional Bank PO, IBPS and many other exams at the clerical level also if you want to stand financially on your own feet right after your graduation. These jobs offer really good salaries along with govt. facilities. Also, government jobs are the most sought after ones in the country, hence competition level is high. You can also apply for junior association in various KPOs and Tax audit assistance.
2. IES : Although IES comes under govt. Exams only, but this one deserves a separate mention. Indian Economic Service (IES), is one of the reputed jobs in the country. Govt. conducts exams for this service same as IAS and those selected, get a place in govt. planning cluster such as NITI Aayog. But again it needs a dire love for economics and if you are an economic freak, then you can opt to become the future Economist serving the nation!
In a nutshell, you are in the best course available for graduation. You have a pool of opportunities which are waiting for you to grab them, so start planning if you are a Fuchhaa and start preparing if you are going to receive a farewell in the coming months!
