Sunday, December 27, 2009

Financial Accountancy, Analysis & Taxation - Career in Finance

The corporate sector's multiplying challenges calls for specialisation - A Financial Analyst's role focuses primarily on financial analysis while the CA focuses on financial accounting, taxation and costing, the Auditor on is the policeman for the financial accountant and a Taxation Expert is the professional on all tax laws and procedures.

All the above jobs can be in-house in a corporate or can be in a Accountancy firm / Consultant. The best route to enter any of these professions would be through a Chartered Accountancy Program (for Audit this is the only route) else Certified Financial Analysis (CFA). Details of the same are given below under the Study Routes Section.

The Job
  • Collect, organise, collate and analyse all internal and financial information to evaluate regular critical analyses of past and present financial performance and make projections for the future which influences decisions.
  • Management accountants monitor all costs from raw materials and labour, to transport, administrative costs, overheads on buildings, etc.
  • They analyse sales trends.
  • Cost auditing provides an evaluative data of a company's past performance, current product profile making possible suitable product pricing.
  • They monitor performance and efficiency to locate and report on problems, provide figures on which to base future pricing policies, and suggest ways of economising by analysing costs and implications of different production methods.
  • They conduct Audits – internal and external. Checking that the organizations financial records are in order and are meeting all statutory requirements.
  • They provide consultancy services to organizations on issues such as cost control, taxation etc.
  • They also provide advice and consultancy services on issues that relate to conceptual and technical inputs in the areas of Indian Financial System & Accounting, International Financial Management; jobs that involve analysis, with inputs from Economics, Quantitative Techniques and Economic Legislation which is required by the Securities Industry, Security Evaluation and Investment Management; they undertake Project Planning, Venture Capital, Leasing, Hire Purchase, Factoring, New Issue Management, Credit Rating and other allied areas.
  • Staying extremely updated and aware of changes in the economic environment and government regulations
Personality Traits

  • Excellent Analytical & Reasoning powers
  • Good Judgement
  • Sound Financial Skills
  • Objective Outlook
  • Leadership skills
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Team Worker
  • High level of General Awareness
  • High level of integrity
Salaries
  • Consultant - Starting Position. INR 3 – 4 lacs after a PG degree.
  • Partner in a Consultancy : Approx INR 1 Crore per annum
Prospects
  • All Corporates and Financial Consultancies
  • Best Companies include – Ernst & Young, AF Ferguson, PricewaterHouse Coopers etc.
Related Courses/Colleges:

Related Links:

Career in Corporate Finance, Job Prospects, Personality Traits & Salary

Corporate finance professionals look after the day to day financial requirements within any corporate / service industry. It is an essential department within any organization. The financial arm could have its own experts in taxation, accounting, stock markets and investments etc.

Prospects
All Corporates
Best Companies include – HLL, Infosys, Cipla, Nestle, Ranbaxy etc

The Job
  • Dealing with day to day financial requirements of the organization
  • Meeting and accounting for all monetary requirements of different departments within the company e.g. Manufacturing, IT, Marketing, Sales etc.
  • Raising finance for the company through suitable instruments such as Loans, Debentures, Commercial Paper, Stock Markets etc.
  • Liasioning / Maintaining Relationships with Banks and Financial Agencies to ensure most cost effective funds when required and timely repayment of the same.
  • Looking after all Foreign Currency transactions and trading – spot / forward covers, derivatives, swaps etc.
  • Maintaining and monitoring of the Balance Sheet and other Accounting methods for the company
  • Ensuring all Statutory Requirement are timely met by the company e.g. taxation, RBI declarations etc
  • Responsible for Cash Management – Receivable & Payments to Suppliers, Salary, PF etc.
  • Collect, organise, collate and analyse all internal and financial information to evaluate regular critical analyses of past and present financial performance and make projections for the future which influences decisions.
  • Cost auditing provides an evaluative data of a company's past performance, current product profile making possible suitable product pricing.
  • Responsible for the Annual / Quarterly budgeting exercises of the company
  • Liasioning with Stock Exchanges and ensures stock price stability in the market
  • Makes all investment portfolio decisions for the company – manages the risk to profitability line. Takes decisions on where to park the company’s excess funds and responsible for generating income from the same.
  • Staying extremely updated and aware of changes in the economic environment and government regulations

Personality Traits
  • Innovative
  • Sound Financial Skills
  • Leadership skills
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Risk taker
  • High level of integrity

Career Progression
To begin with a fresh recruit would join in as an Assistant manager. After about 3-4 years (based on performance could move to a Manager position and so on. Normally, in a medium sized company, after 9-10 years of experience there are chances of making it to the Chief Finance Officer position for deserving candidates.

Salaries
Assistant Manager - Starting Position. INR 3 – 4 lacs after a PG degree.
CFO – Chief Financial Officer : Approx INR 50 – 60 lacs per annum in an Indian Coprorate and INR 80 lace – 1 Crore in an MNC.

Courses/Colleges:

Related Posts:

Thursday, December 24, 2009

USA - Post Graduate Application Process

Application forms for post graduate application process can be obtained by:

  • Requesting Application Forms via email
  • Requesting Application Forms via Air Mail
  • Downloading from the university website

Tests required to be taken:

  • TOEFL: Test of English as a foreign language. The TOEFL is the best-known exam that measures candidates English language proficiency from three aspects: reading, listening and writing.
  • TSE: this test is generally for candidates applying for teaching assistantship.
  • GMAT: for Graduate Courses in Management
  • GRE: for graduate fields other than management
  • LSAT: for admission into law schools
  • USMLE: for admission into medical schools.

Eligibility:

Most schools require qualifications comparable to a U.S. Bachelor’s (Honours) degree (Four Year Degree Program) i.e. a minimum of 16 years of formal education.

In the Indian context, it implies qualifying in a professional four-year degree like engineering or other such courses. In other cases it is thus advisable to apply for a Post Graduate degree in India. A one-year university affiliated program will make up for the fourth year of a U.S. undergraduate degree

For Doctorate programs, most universities require a Master’s degree in that subject. In a few exceptional cases like a good undergraduate engineering degree, they may offer a direct admission to a Doctorate course.

Related Posts:

Related Links:

Higher Studies in USA - Eligibility, Scholarship, Financial Aid and Application Deadlines

Eligibility Criteria for Study in USA:

For undergraduate admission into colleges in the U.S.A. all universities require 12 yrs formal education i.e. qualifying the class 12th examination or junior college as applicable.

The certificates most commonly accepted by the U.S. universities are Indian School Certificate, Intermediate Certificate, Higher School Certificate, Higher Secondary Certificate and All India Senior School Certificate.

Application Deadlines for USA universities:

Semester Early Application Perfect Timing Deadline
Fall Semester December March June
Spring Semester June August October

Scholarships in USA Universities:

Most American universities offer financial aid to its students. The amount offered to each student varies as per his achievements as listed in the application form and also on the basis of their SAT and TOEFL marks.
The application is available from the university itself.

Financial Aid:

Financial aid is provided by most universities in three forms:

  • Tuition Waiver
  • Scholarship/Fellowship
  • Assistantship: In this students are given a cash stipend sufficient for their living expenses, and/or tuition waiver. To get this, they have to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week. This work normally consists of teaching and research activities.

Financial aid is generally awarded according to the applicant’s undergraduate marks, GRE/GMAT scores, letters of recommendation and statement of purpose.

Related Posts:
Undergraduate Application Procedure for USA - Study in USA part 2
Higher Study in USA part 1

Related Links
USA Education System
USA - Entry Requirements & Standardized Tests
USA - Cost & Financial Aid Visa
USA - Degree & Courses
USA - The Application Process
USA - Living in the country
USA - Residency for foreign medical graduates


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Undergraduate Application Procedure for USA - Study in USA part 2

Undergraduate Application Procedure for study in USA

Application Forms


Enquiries must be sent at least 15 to 18 months before the proposed date of admission. There are three ways to get application forms.

  1. Requesting Application Forms via email: One can request application forms from the universities website itself. Most universities have a form on their website which can be completed online to request application material.
  2. Requesting Application Forms via Air Mail: Application material can be requested by sending an airmail and the request should contain a brief description of ones educational background, academic objectives, source of financial support, English proficiency and standardized test scores.
  3. Downloading from the university website: Many universities have a downloadable and ready to print versions of their application forms on the net. These can be used for applying just as regular forms.

Tests required to be taken by the candidates

  1. TOEFL: This test is mandatory for International students applying to a Graduate course or University in US. The minimum score required by most universities for admission is 570 (Paper-based test) and 230 (Computer-based test).
  2. SAT's: The SAT (technically known as the SAT I) is a general test of verbal and quantitative reasoning accepted for U. S. college admissions. The test is required for admission to undergraduate programs of most US universities. Many universities also require you to take SAT-II tests.

SAT 1 - Reasoning Test

The SAT-I test measures verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities that develop over time. Most colleges require only SAT-I scores for admission.

SAT-II: Subject Tests

The SAT-II test measures your knowledge of particular subjects and your ability to apply that knowledge. Many universities may require you to take this along with SAT-I.

3. ACT: A few Universities may also require you to take this test. The ACT is designed to assess high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.

Methods to register for the tests:

There are three common ways of registering for SAT:

By mail: Obtain the "SAT Information Bulletin" available free with USEFI offices or from college-board website at www.collegeboard.com. The forms are then mailed to
College Board SAT Program
Princeton, NJ 08541,
USA

Online Registration (Credit Card required): The form is filled up online and the payment done through credit card only. This is the easiest way to register for SAT.

Requesting the form from the U.S. Education Foundation:
Information on USEFI office in Delhi
Address: USEFI
Fulbright House
12 Hailey Road
New Delhi - 110001
Telephone: 23328944
Fax: 23329718
Walk-in hours: 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (Monday to Friday)
Email: adviser@fulbright-india.org

Read more Study in USA part 1

Related Courses/Colleges in USA :
Animation
Arts, Law & Languages
Banking & Finance
Hospitality, Tourism & Aviation
Information Technology
Management Business
Media, Films & Mass Communication
Medicine & Health Care
Professional Courses
Retail
Science and Engineering

Higher Study in USA part 1

Rankings of American Universities*

Engineering
:

  1. Massachusetts institute of technology, school of engineering
  2. Stanford University, school of engineering
  3. University of California – Berkley school of engineering
  4. University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign school of engineering
  5. Georgia Institute of technology, school of engineering
  6. California Institute of Technology, school of engineering

Medicine:

  1. Harvard University, school of medicine
  2. Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
  3. John Hopkins University, school of medicine
  4. Duke University, school of medicine
  5. University of Pennsylvania, school of medicine
  6. University of California – San Francisco, school of medicine

Law:

  1. Yale University, school of law
  2. Harvard university, school of law
  3. Stanford university, school of law
  4. Columbia university, school of law
  5. New York University, school of law
  6. University of Chicago, school of law

Note : To practice law in India you can only do your Masters in the USA. Under-Graduation would need do be done in India / UK.

Business
:

  1. Harvard university, school of business
  2. Stanford university, school of business
  3. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), school of business
  4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan), school of business
  5. North-western University (Kellogg), school of business
Overall Ranking

  1. Columbia (NY)
  2. Stanford (CA)
  3. NYU (MA)
  4. Cornell (NY)
  5. University of Pennsylvania(PA)
  6. MIT (MA)
  7. Princeton (NJ)
  8. Harvard (NY)
  9. Caltech (CA)
  10. Penn State University (PA)
  11. Yale (CA)
  12. Duke (NC)
  13. Dartmouth (NH)
  14. University of Miami (FL)
  15. Georgetown U. (DC)
  16. University of Chicago (IL)
  17. Wake Forest (NC)
  18. Pepperdine University (CA)
  19. Boston University (MA)
  20. Vanderbilt University (TN)
* The rankings mentioned here are based on information collected from different sources and might undergo changes over a period of time.


Related Courses/Colleges in USA :
Animation
Arts, Law & Languages
Banking & Finance
Hospitality, Tourism & Aviation
Information Technology
Management Business
Media, Films & Mass Communication
Medicine & Health Care
Professional Courses
Retail
Science and Engineering

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Career in Investment Banking, Job Prospects, Personality Traits & Salaries

Bankers who deal with corporates relating to specialized & structured products such as Capital markets, Foreign Exchange Dealing, Mergers & Acquisitions & large sized offshore / domestically structured loans.

The Prospects
  • Private Sector & Foreign Banks, Investment Banks
  • Best Companies include – Citibank, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, JM Morgan Stanley, Merill Lynch, Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), Leighman Brothers
The Job
  • Dealing with corporate clients special need based banking requirements
  • Business Development and marketing to existing & new corporates
  • Structuring new products and innovative ideas to innovatively meet clients requirements
  • Staying extremely updated and aware of changes in the economic environment and government regulations
  • Liasioning with government bodies and offshore points to provide innovative solutions
Personality Traits
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Innovative
  • Sound Financial Skills
  • Leadership skills
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Risk taker
  • High level of integrity
Career Progression
  • As a fresher, one can look at starting out as an Assistant Manager with subsequent promotions to a Manager, Assistant Vice President and the Head Investment Banking.

Salaries
  • Very large variable pay option (performance based option) in the salary package.
  • An Assistant Manager can hope to start approximately with Rs 6 - 10 lacs per annum after a PG degree.
  • Middle management can expect to earn approximately between Rs 5 to 15 lacs per annum whereas an Assistant Vice President can expect to earn approximately between Rs 30 to 40 lacs per annum based on their experience and the organization in question.
  • An Investment Banking Head commands approximately Rs 70 – 80 lacs per annum
Related Courses/Colleges:
Accounting Courses
Banking Courses
CA Institutes
Insurance Institutes
Securities & Trading Courses

Related Posts:
Career in MBA Finance
Company Secretary & Work Avenues
Chartered Accountancy as a career

Career in Finance

Finance as a Career can be both highly lucrative and challenging. There is a wide spectrum of careers that can be followed:

  1. Banking – Commercial & Investment
  2. Corporate Finance
  3. Auditing, Financial Analysis, Accountancy and Taxation
  4. Stock Analyst / Broker

1. Banking

A. Commercial Banking

That banking which deals with individuals and corporates to meet their everyday banking requirements such as cash deposits / withdrawals, investment advisory, deposits, loans (housing, car etc.), credit cards, remittances (payments, Demand drafts etc.), lockers etc.

The Prospects:
  • Private Sector & Foreign Banks,
  • Best Companies include – HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Citibank, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Standard Chartered Bank

The Job
  • Retail / Consumer Banking
  • Dealing with individual clients banking requirements
  • Business Development and marketing for new clients
  • Ensuring smooth delivery of all banking products to the client
  • Staying updated and aware of changes in banks products & banking regulations
  • Resolving customer issues and complaints
  • Doing a credit risk analysis of clients if bank is giving loans.
  • Corporate Banking
  • Dealing with the banking requirements of corporate clients
  • Analysing and continuously monitoring company’s performance (balance sheets, P&L etc)
  • Business Development and marketing to existing & new corporates
  • Structuring new products and ideas to innovatively meet clients requirements
  • Ensuring smooth delivery of all banking products to the client
  • Staying updated and aware of changes in banks products & banking regulations
  • Resolving customer issues and complaints
Personality Traits
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Leadership skills
  • Team-Worker
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Patient
  • Risk taker
  • High level of integrity
Career Progression
  • As a fresher, one can look at starting out as an Assistant Manager with subsequent promotions to a Manager, Assistant Vice President and then Head Corporate / Retail Banking
Salaries
  • The starting salary for an Assistant Manager is approximately Rs 2 Lacs per annum for a graduate and Rs 4-6 lacs per annum for a post graduate. Depending on their performance and experience, the organization in question and of course location, middle management can expect to earn between Rs 5 to 15 lacs per annum whereas an Assistant Vice President can expect to earn between Rs 20 to 30 lacs per annum. The Head of Corporate / Retail Banking commands a salary of about Rs 50 – 70 lacs per annum.
Related Finance Courses/Colleges:
Accounting Courses
Banking Courses
CA Institutes
Insurance Institutes
Securities & Trading Courses

Related Posts:
Career in MBA Finance
Company Secretary & Work Avenues
Chartered Accountancy as a career

Related Jobs:
Accounts/Finance Jobs
Banking/Financial Services Jobs
Jobs at ICICI Securities
Jobs at Tata AIG Life
Jobs at Fullerton India
Jobs at India Infoline Ltd.