Accounting Career Path Planning Advice Needed

Best approach - see if you can switch to a more finance/accounting position with your current employer. Ask your HR Dept what training and/or credentials will help you with the switch. I think CMA is the best, but then I am biased. What your employer thinks is more important than what I think.

Thanks Robert but I am currently working in IT company I don't think they will be able to help us out.

Hi Priyanka, you should opt for CMA. I feel that you have hands on experience on systems side. If you done CMA, it will really help you to get strong insight over the business & controlling.This combination could really help you to reach your preferred level.

Priyanka,

First, if your destination is a CFO role - start with the type of company that you want to work within and do a search on any director and above job openings. This will tell you the type of experience that you will need to achieve to get the job you seek.

Second, with that knowledge in hand, look at the different roles to get you the experience needed. The key will be having the experience, not training, to get the role - as people will want the hands-on capabilities vs classroom. I would look to select the CFA, etc. after you look at the skills needed - those degrees will help you enhance your performance for any given role.

Third, start the search. I do agree with Robert that if you can stay within your current IT field (not necessarily same company), then you bring knowledge of the business - which will most likely give you a point of differentiation over other candidates for analysis and accounting roles. It might be easier to start on the analysis side of finance if you don't have a strong accounting background - but to get to the CFO spot - you will need to have a firm base of accounting skills/knowledge.

Hope this helps get you started,

Mark