Career In Commerce

Introduction

Commerce is all about the understanding of business or trade. It deals with studies of market, economics, fiscal policies, industrial policies and so on. Commerce is a broad orbit of interdisciplinary branches viz. accountancy, business administration, finance, economics, marketing, advertisement, e-commerce, and so many. The overall economic health of a nation largely depends on advanced commerce studies. This stream offers a wide range of career options. 

Scope

Commerce opens up many career avenues. Globalization, foreign insurance and foreign banks has created enormous job opportunities for commerce students. Chartered Accountant (CA) is still a coveted career. On successful completion of B Com, students get jobs relating business and finance. Professionals can apply for employment in finance sector like banking, company secretary ship, chartered accountancy, Cost and works accountancy jobs, etc. Commerce students get jobs in non-finance sector in the fields like mass communication, law, hotel management, etc. B.Com degree also serves as the stepping stone for MBA (finance). Commerce students can take a route of teaching after graduation and post graduation. Commerce students find career opportunities even in public services viz. Civil Services, Indian Economic Service, Indian Statistical Services, etc. Commerce graduates have a very exciting career option such as e-commerce. This career is well-suited to commerce students because of their sound understanding of business transactions.

Remuneration

It mainly depends on academic qualifications, training, experience, location, responsibility and employer. Private sector especially foreign companies provide attractive pay packages. The salaries in this sector ranges from Rs.10,000-1,50,0000 per month. Professional like MBAs, CAs and CFAs get high pay packages.Foreign banks and insurance companies give good packages. 

Eligibility

Graduation and post-graduation is desirable for the higher posts. It mainly based on the type of career to be pursued. The certications and liscencing from professional bodies is required for CA, CS, CFA, etc. MBA (finance) is also preferred in many foreign banks. 

Employabilty Skills

  • Genuine interest in working with numbers and better computing skills.
  • Ability for analyzing numerical data.
  • Good communication skill.
  • Ability to work with team and lead the team.
  • Ability to take smart decisions.
  • Organizational and administrative abilities.
  • Logical thinking.
  • Accuracy and neatness.
  • Creativity and high intellectual capability.
  • Ability to work hard and readiness to work for long hours.
  • Flexibility and willingness to learn new things, technologies and adaptation of new methodologies at work.

Career test

If you record “Yes” for maximum questions then it indicates that you have potential for perusing career in the field of Commerce.

  • Do I like to play with numbers?
  • Do I have better computing skills?
  • Do I have ability for analysing numerical data?
  • Do I have analytical skills?
  • Do I have practical business sense?
  • Do I have good decision making power?
  • Do I have good knowledge of economics and investments?
  • Do I have sound knowledge of management and general marketing?
  • Do I give utmost imporant to precision and accuracy at work?
  • Do I enjoy office environment?
  • Do I  like to work for several hours (8-12hrs or more) per day in an office?
  • Do I have ability to work with a team?
  • Do I have computing and interpreting skills?
  • Do I have organizational and administrative skills?
  • Do I read budgets, business news and economic reviews?
  • Do I have computer skills?
  • Am I ready to learn and adopt new methodologies?

Career opportunities

  • Higher education: B.Com students can go for higher education (MBA, M.Com, MCA, Ph.D, ) or immedate jobs. There are some prestigious certification courses in Commerce viz. Chartered Accountancy (CA), Certified Financial Analyst (CFA), ICWA, CFP and Company Secretary Ship (CS).
  • Banking: Career is chosen due to fair salaries, job security and high social acceptance. Many local/national/foreign banks provide good job opportunities.
  • Investments: One can get job as equity research analyst, investment banker, mutual fund executive, capital market manager, asset manager, venture capitalist and real estate.
  • Insurance: It is showing exponential growth due to liberalization policy in India. The public and private insurance companies in life and non-life insurance providing enormous career opportunities. It also offer jobs in actuary and risk management.
  • Capital market: Liberalized Indian economy has opened up capital market for foreign investors along with domestic investors. The heavy flow of capital into the capital markets has generated many employment opportunities. .
  • Management: B.Com and BBA courses provide good background for MBA course. MBA (Finance) requires sound back ground of commerce field.
  • Accounting: Demand for skilled accountants has increased considerably in the domestic and international job market.
  • KPO and BPO: Enormous opportunities for commerce students in this emerging field.
  • Taxation: Many jobs related to taxation has been created in recent years. 

Job options

  • Accountant/Costs and works accountant
  • Auditor
  • Book Keeper
  • Business analyst/Market analyst
  • CFO
  • Controller
  • Finance manager
  • Internet Marketing Executive (E-commerce)
  • Stock broker

Self-employment:

  • Business firm
  • Stock broker
  • Trade consultant
  • Management consultant
  • Entrepreneur 
  • Corporate lawyer
  • Financial analysts
  • Tax consultants  

 Some popular careers options in Commerce:

  1. Chartered Accountant (CA): He/She is specialized in accounting, auditing and taxation. CA serves as a corporate caretaker and occupies respectable position in corporate world. The demand of CA has increased. Salaries of C.A. depends upon academic qualification and experience. Average salaries 25,000-1,50,000 per month. Abroad, salaries may go up to Rs. 5,00000 per month. CA who does consultancy earns good money. Eligibility: Admission is open to 10 + 2 pass or equivalent examination. CA Program has three sections viz. Common Proficiency Test (CPT), Professional Competence Course (PCC or PCE) and Final examination.  Institute: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is an examining and a licensing body.www.icai.org,  
  2.  Company Secretary (CS): He/She co-ordinates various departments, ensures compliance of company legislations and advises directors on statutory requirements of the company. Apart from this, CS also looks after finance, accounts, legal, personnel and administrative functions. CS is a well remunerated career option because of its multifaceted nature. Eligibility: The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) offers a three-stage course to qualify as Company Secretary. Foundation course is of 8 months that can be joined after 10+2 exam.  Institute: The Institute of Company Secretary of India conduct and regulate the course of Company Secretary.http://www.icsi.edu.
  3. Cost and Work Accountant (CWA): Certified CWAs maintain cost accounting records, do cost auditing for companies, certify import and export documents under the Exim Policy, serve as executor, administrator, receiver and valuer. CWA facilitates strategic decisions in respect of diverse economic activities of the organization.Eligibility: The ICWAI examinations are held in three stages: Foundation, Intermediate and Final. A candidate may appear for the Foundation examination after passing 10+2 examination. Graduates in any discipline are eligible for direct admission to Intermediate course. Candidates passed in final examination with a minimum work experience of three years are eligible to become members of ICWAI. Institute: Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India (ICWAI) conducts and regulate course. Further details: www.icwai.org
  4. Chartered Financial Analyst :  Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA®) utilize their skills in the core areas of financial and hedge fund research, portfolio management, investment consulting, investment banking, investment management, international finance and research. Career opportunities for CFAs with IT skills (trained in high-end packages like SAP, Oracle application and Baan) have increase manifold.CFA regarded as the key position by financial professionals. CFA gets good salary. Eligibility: To be a CFA, a graduate requires clearing three levels of examination. A minimum of three years of investment/financial experience is essential. Institutes: ICFAI conducts CFA programme in India. This course is offered through class room as well as distance learning packages. Further details:  www.icfai.org  
  5. Banking: For a career in banking, one can start off by maintaining accounts. Now a day’s banking sector recruits MBA graduates, CAs and CFAs to enhance the efficiency of banks. Now banks are in the mutual funds, securitization business, credit cards, consumer loans, housing loans, etc this open up many career avenues.Eligibility: Public sector Banks recruit mainly graduates for Clerical and Probationary Officer posts on the basis of All India Level examination. Graduates with commerce/economics are desirable candidates but any one from any stream can enter into this service by qualifying the exams conducted by banks. Foreign Banks prefer take MBAs, CAs, CFAs, etc. 
  6. Investments: One can job opportunity as equity research analyst, investment banker, mutual fund executive, capital market manager, financial planner/asset manager, venture capitalist and real estate.  
  7. Insurance: Insurance field offers jobs in actuary, risk management manager, insurance surveyor, underwriter, etc. The key factor for success in this field is experience.  In private sector, the salary is more attractive. In private sector generally management graduates are inducted in the areas of marketing and sales gets salary ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000 per month. The Commissions are the most common form of compensation for insurance agents and the amount depends on the type and amount of insurance sold. Eligibility: To pursue a career one has to pass the entrance examination conducted by the Actuarial Society of India, Mumbai. Students who have passed 10 + 2 or equivalent exam are eligible. License is needed to work in this field which can be achieved through a training programme. 

Employers

  • Companies.
  • Banks
  • Financial institutions.
  • Insurance companies
  • Commercial firms
  • Business houses.

Courses

Courses-after-12th-standard
  • Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) Duration: 3 years Centres: Commerce Colleges.
  • Bachelor in Management Studies (BMS) Duration: 3 years Centres: Commerce Colleges.
  • Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Duration: 3 years Centres: Commerce Colleges. 
  • Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) Duration: 3 years Centres: Commerce Colleges.
  • Bachelor of Corporate Secretary-ship (BCS) Duration: 3 years Centres: Commerce Colleges.
  • Diploma in Industrial Accountant Centre: The institute of Computer Accountants. 

Some Universities offer the courses such as

  • B. Com (Computer Application)
  • B. Com (Foreign Trade)
  • B. Com (Tax Procedure)
  • B. Com (Advertising & Sales Management)
  • B. Com (E-Commerce) and
  • B. Com (Office Management)
  • Courses after Graduation
  • Masters of Commerce (M.Com) Duration: 2 years Centres: Many Commerce Colleges.
  • Master of Corporate Secretary ship (MCS)
  • Master of Finance & Control
  • M.Com Banking and & Insurance Management
  • M.Com Co-operative Management
  • M.Com (Marketing)
  • Master of Financial Control (MFC)
  • Master of Financial, Administration (MFA)
  • Master of Financial Management (MFM)
  • Most of the courses are two year duration and available in colleges or in distant mode.
  • MBA (Finance): Students interested in learning how to manage a business professionally can opt for a degree in management. An MBA course can vary in duration with a regular MBA being a 2-year course, while an Executive MBA taking 1 year to complete. Doing an MBA through correspondence is also an option.
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Capital Market & Investment Analysis
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Finance & Control
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Management Accounting
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Banking & Finance
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Public Accounting
  • Diploma in Banking and finance (DBF) Eligibility: Accountancy and computer knowledge is essential.
  • Online course material provided and 24hrs online teachers available for guidance. www.iibf.org.in

Distant courses:

B.Com courses

MBA International Business

M.Com courses

Certificate in E-Business

MBA in E-Business

PG Diploma Courses in E-Commerce (Correspondence)

  • Duration: One year Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. Centres: Several Universities
  • Alagappa University www.auce.8m.com
  • Bharathiar University http://www.b-u.ac.in/sde/
  • Jambheshwar University www.gju.ernet.in
  • Kakatiya University www.kuwarangal.com
  • CA: It remains always the first choice among the student due to its promising career opportunity.
  • CS: In commercial field CS stands as the 3rd most lucrative career option after MBA and C.A.
  • ICWA/CMA: This course is mainly pursued by students who want to work at higher level. Many students go to abroad for better prospectus.
  • LLB (Corporate Law): Many companies have their own corporate lawyers for handling the legal issues relating to company.
  • Actuarial science: Students with strong mathematics and statistics ground along with commerce knowledge can enter in this most lucrative and challenging field. 

Important Institutes

Examinations

  1. Chamber of Commerce Examination: It conducted by a British Institution for Indian youths.  www.lccieb.org.uk
  2. UGC National Eligibility Test for Junior Research Fellowship and Eligibility for Lectureship: National Eligibility Test (NET)   http://www.ugc.ac.in
  3. SSB/Air Force Accounts www.dfas.mil    
  4. Combined Defence Services www.upsc.gov.in/general/cds.htm
  5. Bank examinations: Clerical and Probationary officers http://www.bankexamsindia.com
  6. MBA examination: www.entranceexam.org

Abroad opportunities

Abroad Degrees

Abroad Fellowships and scholarships

Abroad Jobs

Emerging trends

Careers in E-Commerce:  The e-Commerce career path prepares students for careers in the buying and selling of goods and services using electronic systems. It mainly deals with conducting business over the Internet (online).

Ecommerce Careers

  • Web site design and developer
  • Content developer
  • Web programming and application developer
  • Database administrator
  • Webmaster 

Certificate courses:

Bachelor courses:

  • Bachelor of e-Commerce Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University, New-Delhi
  • Bachelor of Business Administration in e-Commerce (BBA-e-Commerce).

Masters courses:

  • Ecommerce MBA (eMBA): Bhubaneswar Institute of Management and Information Technology, Bhubaneswar www.indianmba.com
  • Master of Business Administration in e-Commerce (MBA-e-Commerce) Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University, New-Delhi www.ipu.ac.in
  • Anna University offers a unique e-commerce programme in collaboration with Opensource, Inc.
  • USA for the students who have already passed ME, MCA, MBA, M.Com and M.Sc.

Allied Careers