How to get a job after Qualifying for CMA USA 

The CMA USA certification is recognized as the Gold Standard in Management Accounting. It is specially designed to hone professional aspirants’ Accounting Management and Critical Accounting skills. 

The certification will advance your knowledge in Finance, Accounting, Investments, and Risk Management will help you to stand out from the rest. You will gain a higher salary and competitive advantage over the others. 

The value of this credential is so great that the placement scope is not limited to merely lateral roles; you may also climb up the ladder to become CFOs of multinational organizations.

Build a Professional Network Online: CMA USA Job

Building your professional network should be your first step if you’re job hunting. In this competitive world, offline is not the only route available. 

You need to have a strong professional network online too. You can utilize online platforms like Linkedin, which can be a beneficial tool for a CMA aspirant. It’s one of the best platforms where recruiters search for qualified candidates.

There are millions of candidates who are looking for better options for jobs. To stand out, you need to create the best possible image to enhance your Linkedin visibility. 

Here are some tips to look the best among the rest:

Profile Branding: CMA USA Job

The first step in creating your image for the recruiter’s eye will be your profile picture.

• Click a professional pose.
• The image should be a headshot.
• Wear formal attire with your hair groomed well.
• Wear stain and wrinkle-free clothes.
• Indoor photography with a simple background is always advisable with proper lighting.
• Use Photoshop or Canva to create good-quality background photos. A distractive background will remove the focus from your face.
• The recommended LinkedIn photo size for profile photos is 400 × 400 pixel.

Create a Professional Headline:  CMA USA Job

Answer the questions – who, what, and why to create an impact. You can write about your current job and include skills you want your recruiters to know about you. The more clearly and effectively you portray yourself, the you will easily connect with people you want to connect with.

Some examples are :

Prity Roy

CMA USA Qualified II Experienced Financial and Accounting Professional

Sachin Daga

MBA, CPA Qualified II Senior Accounting Analyst | Ex Wipro

Create an impressive summary: CMA USA Job

Many people skip this part while building a Linkedin profile. 

Creating a summary is your chance to tell your own story, apart from your job and work experiences. There are many other things that can create an impact. 

Highlight your best attributes: your achievements, educational qualifications, specialties, and even hobbies like sports or music. Recruiters and hiring managers love an all-rounder!

You can even write about all the other things you are passionate about, like – clubs, organizations, or even volunteering activities. 

However, keep this in mind to write an effective summary! 

1. Don’t sound arrogant while talking about your skills. People like to connect with kind people and not with the egoists
2. Keep the points short without any typos or grammatical errors.
3. Be consistent with the first or third person and active or passive voice.
4. Get it proofread by a friend, senior, or professor before adding it to your profile.
5. Be careful about writing the details.

Visual Content: CMA USA Job

You can make your profile stand out through visual content. This is a digital world, and there is immense benefit in sharing your experiences or about yourself through social proof like videos, stats, etc. You are bound to get noticed if you do things differently from others. 

Shine with your skills and endorsements: CMA USA Job

Highlight your Accounting knowledge with topics like operational budgeting and Blockchain and your expertise with accounting applications, such as Quickbooks and Excel, for a potential connection with the recruiters. Such ringing testimonials may highlight your core and soft skills. 

Endorsements give people a quick idea about your profile and know your value too. There’s a drop-down menu in the Recommendations section of your profile that makes it easy to reach out to specific contacts, and you can request recommendations too. Request them personally for online recommendations. It’s worth the extra effort.

Create Your Network

Connect with fellow peers from school, college, or your work colleagues. Then start connecting with people from organizations related to fellow IMA members. The platform offers you the option to join groups, webinars, and discussions that will help you during your US CMA journey and also seek advice and practice mock interviews through Linkedin.

The best way to increase connectivity with anyone is to message them personally and introduce yourself and your journey. 

Look out for internships to gain more experience and networking opportunities. Accounting internships can offer multiple benefits to your CMA career.

Once your profile is polished and proofread from every nook and corner, go out, build connections and conquer the world

Interview tips and tricks: CMA USA Job

Placements are not easy. However, do not worry – with the right kind of preparation and qualifications, you are sure to ace it! Here are some techniques which you can follow to crack the interview.

1. Reach at least 15 minutes before the scheduled interview time.
2. Greet your interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake in case of offline interviews. Maintain a smile throughout the interview. It creates a healthy atmosphere between both and also eases the tension.
3. Make eye contact and answer the questions confidently and with a firm voice. Tell the interviewer about your working and training skills, education, and capabilities, and make him believe how well you fit into the job.
4. As the saying goes, “You have to sell yourself before you sell anything else” during the first 30 seconds of the interview, the interviewer judges whether you fit in the working team or not. So be confident and well prepared.
5. Check your CV before the interview. Take extra CV copies along. Sometimes you may have to submit your CV to the company too. 
6. Prepare a few questions and be thorough with the knowledge of the company so that you manage to answer when asked about it.

Job Opportunities: CMA USA Job

Organizations need specialized skills, knowledge, and expertise in developing strategic business plans. Undoubtedly, a commerce graduate with a US CMA certification has great opportunities in getting hired for jobs in both public and private financial sectors.

The benefit of gaining a CMA USA degree is that you are employable by almost any industry in the world, ranging from manufacturing industries to educational services to utility and communication services. 

Financial Analyst: They display expertise in where and when to buy and sell investments.   They have expertise in Financial forecasting, Reporting, and Operational metrics along with a focus on financial performance by analyzing past results, identifying trends etc. 

Advanced positions like Investment partner, Financial Consultant, or Portfolio Manager are considered suitable options for better growth in this career path.

Cost Accountants: They focus on reducing Financial waste and increasing profit from production costs. They analyze manufacturing operations, and equipment availability, and perform month-end cost accounting close. 

Advanced positions like Senior Cost Accountant and Financial Controller require CMA certification.

Financial planner: Financial Planners are good advisers to the client to manage their money. They work for insurance or finance companies to make investments, future financial plans, etc. The duties of a financial planner include providing insurance services and investment advice to clients. 

Corporate controller: Corporate Controller needs to report to the CFO and is also responsible for converting data into information that includes financial reports and income statements. They supervise all Accounting and Financial functions at companies, along with performing financial risk assessments and preparing annual budgets and forecasts.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO): CMA certification can eventually open up the doors to climb the corporate ladder to become the CFO who leads the Finance and Accounting team, overseeing Financial Planning and Analysis functions, mergers and acquisitions, etc.  

Attractive salary: CMA USA Job

The CMA USA degree holders are sought because of their credentials and the value they add to the organization. Big 4 and other companies like Accenture, Morgan Stanley, etc., hire in such roles. These organizations collaborate with the IMA and its partners to look for talented CMA certification holders for job placements and internships within their companies across India and worldwide.

The CMAs get an attractive salary between $100,000 in the USA and 6-8 lakhs in India. The salary increases as the designation, skills, and knowledge increase. There is always a huge opportunity for a raise in the salary structure. 

However, please note that these are average salaries and may differ based on your company or skillset. 

Where to apply for CMA USA Jobs?

NorthStar Academy is a pioneer in providing training for Finance and Accounting courses and also helps the candidates by providing 100% placement assistance after qualifying for CMA USA.

One must also apply on various platforms such as LinkedIn, Direct, Apna Jobs, Naukri, and Monster and also request for referral from their colleagues and family members for getting an opportunity after qualifying.

Bonus tip: Please start building your resume and looking for opportunities after passing CMA USA.

Conclusion

You can easily get a job after CMA USA after clearing all the exams. The opportunities in this field are endless. So if you want to build a career in Finance and Accounting, then enroll in NorthStar Academy’s Comprehensive CMA program to add the coveted three letters in front of your name – C M A. 

Frequently Asked Questions