Dated 07th Jun, 2000

WITH THE tremendous growth of the corporate sector in the last few years, Business Houses and private firms have become more professional creating a great demand for competent professionals at all levels. One of them, the chartered financial analyst (CFA) is a training program for financial executives to upgrade their skills in investment, corporate financial management and other financial services. Chartered accountancy encompasses almost all fields of commercial activity whether in the manufacturing industry, banking consultancy, marketing and financial management and control. And business management Graduates never had it so good.

A career in finance can be a challenging and rewarding profession. Fresh Graduates (in business management, from ICFAI or CAs) can commence their careers as executive trainees in the financial sector. After the prerequisite training in the various areas of corporate finance, they can go on to acquire technical skills for career enhancement. Depending on the nature of work finance can be divided into corporate financial functions and treasury functions. Corporate financial functions are usually handled by MBAs, CFAs or even CAs who have been promoted to that post. Modern corporate structure is such that even a chartered accountant with the necessary years of experience can become vice-president (finance) of a company.

* A successful financial career needs a head and feel for numbers and figures. He should be crazy about number crunching.

* A methodical and analytical approach along with oodles of confidence and good communication skills are important.

* Academic ability, an informed opinion about profit figures and an ability to assess the good and bad investment are essentials of this job.

* He should be able to discipline himself and others to exert strict control of budget.

* The latest happenings \trends in the financial market, up- to- date information on the new financial options available for economic value addition (EVP) to hedge the risk-these are important factors.

* With globalisation and the world as his market, one should know where to source finances from at the minimum premium.