What are we going to talk about? Careers after 12th Commerce Seven lucrative and interesting careers that you can do after Commerce in full detail, the exams that you need to take for it, the courses that you would need to do, the types of jobs that you can get.
And as a bonus, I will give you four additional exciting careers towards the end of the video. Also, don’t worry, because the main points are going to come up on the screen so you can take screenshots. You can also find this content as a video podcast on Scale Up with Chat Chat, which is available exclusively on Spotify. Let’s begin.
Chartered Accountant
Career number one is that of a Chartered Accountant, or a CA. To become a CA in India, what you need to do is clear that much-dreaded CA exam conducted by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, ICAI. Now, this CA exam has three levels: Foundation, Intermediate (or IPCC), and Final. The Foundation exam is taken after 10+2, while the Intermediate and Final exams you can take after you’ve finished your graduation.
And don’t worry, it’s not that bad. Okay, maybe it is, but with a little hard work and dedication, you can do it. Let’s talk of types of jobs. As a Chartered Accountant, you can work in audit and taxation, in advisory, and in finance. You can also be a tax consultant, an audit manager, a financial analyst, a cost accountant, and even an investment banker. So you can choose a career path that suits your interests and skills.
Now, the top firms to join — this is a juicy part. If you’re looking to join the top firms, then you’ve got to aim for the Big Four accounting firms, which are Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers (or PWC), Ernst Young (or EY), and KPMG. Now, you can also work for any other large corporate. Maybe you can have your own consultancy too as a CA.
And it’s shout-out time! This week, the shout-out goes to Janisha for leaving this lovely message under my last video. If you want a shout-out in my next video, you know what to do — leave me a message below with the hashtag #ChatChatters.
Company Secretary
Career number two is Company Secretary. Now, to become a Company Secretary, you need to clear one exam, which is the Company Secretaryship exam, conducted by The Institute of Company Secretaries of India. But don’t let the name fool you — it’s not about being a secretary. What is a Company Secretary? Actually, this person is responsible for ensuring that the company complies with legal and regulatory requirements.
Now let’s talk about this exam. This exam is divided into three levels: Foundation, Executive, and Professional. Once again, the Foundation exam is if you’re taking it after 10+2. The Intermediate and Final exams are for graduates. In fact, the Foundation exam can be taken by any student, regardless of whether you studied Commerce. You could have studied Arts, or you could have studied Science.
Let’s talk about the types of jobs. As a Company Secretary, you can work in various sectors. You could work in legal, corporate governance, and finance. The kind of job profiles that are available include Compliance Officer, Legal Advisor, Corporate Planner, and Risk Manager.
Now, before moving on to Career number three, I want to remind you that we have two really good videos on the channel already: What to do after 10th and How to choose your career. Make sure you go back and take a look at them as well. Later, do subscribe to the channel if you haven’t already, so you keep getting all this cool content that I make for you every Friday.
Cost and Management Accountant (CMA)
Career number three is Cost and Management Accountant (CMA). Now, if you want to become a CMA in India, you need to clear the CMA exam conducted by The Institute of Cost Accountants of India. Once again, the exam is divided into three levels: Foundation, Intermediate, and Final. The Foundation exam comes after your 10+2 education. Once again, the Intermediate and Final exams are for graduates. Like the Company Secretaryship, the 10+2 can be in any stream, but the graduation needs to be in any subject other than Arts and Music.
Let’s talk about types of jobs. A CMA is about being a master of Finance, Accounting, and Management. As a CMA, you can work in various sectors. You can work in Finance, Accounting, and Management. Typical job profiles would include Cost Accountant, Financial Analyst, Management Accountant, and Budget Analyst.
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Career number four is MBA (Master of Business Administration). An MBA degree is a very popular choice where you have a number of specializations, like Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain Management, or even Operations Management.
Now, to become an MBA in India, for most MBA institutes, you need to clear the Common Admission Test (CAT). Some institutes, like ISB Hyderabad, also accept GMAT scores. Some of the top institutes that you can go to are the IIMs (Indian Institute of Management), XLRI, ISB, and many more. I studied at XLRI, Jamshedpur.
Since MBA is a postgraduate program, you could, perhaps, as an undergraduate right after school, do a BCom, BBA, BA, or BSc — works just as well.
Talking about types of jobs, depending on the specialization that you pick, typical job profiles for MBAs could include Business Development Manager, Marketing Manager, Investment Banker, or Management Consultant. There could be a number of profiles, and they all map to the specialization that you’ve taken. But remember, an MBA is not just about getting a degree. It’s about gaining knowledge, building connections, and developing your skills. So keep your head high, study hard, and don’t forget to have fun along the way.
Financial Planner
Career number five is Financial Planner. A Financial Planner helps individuals or businesses create a comprehensive financial plan to achieve their financial goals. The courses that you need to pursue could be a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) course or a Chartered Wealth Manager (CWM) program. These are rigorous exams; they cover everything from retirement planning to tax management. So you’ll need to study very hard.
Types of jobs: You could work as a Financial Planner, maybe for individuals or families, helping them manage their investments. You could help them plan for retirement and achieve their financial goals. You can also work in an inner financial advisory firm. You could work at a bank. You could provide financial planning services to clients in these organizations. The possibilities are endless. If you’re interested in corporate finance, you could work as a Financial Analyst, helping companies make strategic financial decisions.
Actuary
Career number six, after doing Commerce, is that of an Actuary. An Actuary analyzes financial risk using statistical models and mathematical equations. Actuaries typically work in the insurance sector. You could pursue courses such as Actuarial Science, which is offered by The Institute of Actuaries in India. This course can be a little more challenging than the exam, because you need to master statistical, analytical, and mathematical skills extensively. According to recent surveys, actuaries are among the highest-paid professionals in India.
So it’s a trade-off. You could end up working for large insurance companies, or you could work for consulting firms like Ernst Young or Deloitte.
Lawyer
Career number seven is Law. If you’re interested in becoming a lawyer in India, you will need to clear CLAT (the Common Law Admission Test), or there are some other entrance exams also, like AILET (All India Law Entrance Test). There’s also LSAT India, and some state-level law entrance exams.
Now, these exams cover English, General Knowledge, Logical Reasoning, and Legal Aptitude. You have two options. You can either pursue a five-year integrated law course straight after your 12th standard. This course is offered by top law institutes in India, such as the NLU’s (National Law Universities), Symbiosis Law School, Jindal Global Law School, and typically all the top law schools.
Alternatively, you can pursue a three-year LLB course after completing your graduation. You could do this from NALSAR (National Academy of Legal Studies and Research), Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, or any other university.
Types of jobs: As a lawyer, you can work in various fields, such as Corporate Law, Intellectual Property Law, Criminal Law, Civil Law, and many more. You can work as an advocate in a law firm, as an in-house law counsel for a company, or as a legal consultant. You can even work as a Public Prosecutor. Some of the top law firms to join in India include Amarchand & Mangaldas, AZB & Partners, Khaitan & Co., Luthra & Luthra, and many more. These firms offer excellent opportunities to work with high-profile clients. You could even get a lot of challenging legal work and earn lucrative salaries.
Bonus Career
And now it’s time for those four bonus careers.
Economist:Bonus Career number one is Economist. As an Economist, you’re going to study how people and societies allocate resources, such as goods, services, and money. You could study economic trends. You could forecast future economic conditions. You might work with the government. You could even work with the private sector. You could work in a think tank or in academia. The kind of job opportunities that you get could include being a Macro Economist, a Data Analyst, or an Economic Consultant.
Ideally, you would need to pursue a Master’s degree in Economics, maybe in Public Policy or in Finance. Some institutes that offer this course in India include the Delhi School of Economics, JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University), and ISI (Indian Statistical Institute).
Business Analyst : Bonus Career number two is Business Analyst. As a Business Analyst, you’re going to help companies improve their profitability and their operations by analyzing data, identifying problems, and finding solutions. You need a strong background in Data Analysis, Business Intelligence, and Project Management. The courses that you can pursue include CBAP (Certified Business Analysis Professional) or PMP (Project Management Professional). Typically, you would need to have a graduate degree, plus maybe a few years of work experience before you could take up some of these courses.
Supply Chain Manager : Bonus Career number three is Supply Chain Manager. As a Supply Chain Manager, you’re going to be responsible for ensuring that goods and services are delivered efficiently and on time. You could work in a number of industries: manufacturing, logistics, or even retail. The job opportunities that you get could be that of a Logistics Manager, a Supply Chain Analyst, or a Procurement Specialist. This could be in a variety of industries, like manufacturing, retail, e-commerce, and logistics.
There are two routes to this career. One is through an MBA, where you specialize in Operations Management or Supply Chain Management. The second route, perhaps if you don’t want to do an MBA, is to do some specialized courses. There are a few that I’ve listed here: the Certified Supply Chain Professional course, or a Certification in Production and Inventory Management. You need to check out the website I’m giving here — the Association of Supply Chain Management.
Financial Analyst :Bonus Career number four is Financial Analyst. As a Financial Analyst, you’re going to analyze financial data, create financial models, and provide insights that can help companies make better decisions. You can work in a number of fields: banking, investment management, or insurance.
The job opportunities, or roles you can get, could include Equity Research Analyst, Investment Banker, or Credit Analyst. The kind of courses that you need to do could possibly be CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), FRM (Financial Risk Manager), or CIIA (Certified International Investment Analyst). Any of these courses can make you a Financial Analyst. You could work for big investment banks, like Goldman Sachs or JPMorgan, or for consulting firms like McKinsey or Bain.
There are plenty of career options available to you in India. Just remember: work hard, study hard, and don’t forget to leave me a comment.