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Does hiring a CMA* make sense for your organization? Read on to learn some of the advantages.
*The recent merger between the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) and the Society of Management Accountants of Canada (CMA Canada) established the new Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and changed the professional accounting landscape in Canada. While the process of unification continues to unfold, many accountants are still completing their CMA program. In a salute to these accounting scholars, here are some of the perceived benefits of hiring a CMA.
It’s that time again. You need to hire someone sooner rather than later, and the pressure is mounting on you to make a hire.
One of the major ingredients to hiring well is building a consensus among the key stakeholders about the role’s requirements. This can often be a challenge: different people, after all, can have very different ideas about what the job entails, and what qualifications a candidate should have in order to perform it well.
Bringing everyone onto the same page can be tricky, but your task will be made significantly easier if you understand some of the differences between the major accounting designations. We’ve talked previously about the advantages of hiring a CGA, as well as the benefits of adding a CA to your team. Today, our focus turns to the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation. Like their CGA and CA brethren, CMAs have had to undergo very specific training and curriculum demands, as a result of which they possess unique skills and experiences that will deliver particular advantages to your organization. And so, without further ado, let’s consider three of the benefits of hiring a CMA.
Strategically minded
CMAs are schooled in a curriculum that balances accounting with management and strategy. In fact, to earn a CMA designation a candidate must complete a two-year strategic leadership program (while working).
As such, a CMA will emerge from their training with more than just a pure accounting profile. By hiring a CMA, you’ll gain access to a candidate who is focused heavily on strategic thinking, and will understand how innovative enterprises conduct business in a contemporary setting.
Like their CGA and CA brethren, CMAs have had to undergo very specific training and curriculum demands, as a result of which they possess unique skills and experiences that will deliver particular advantages to your organization.
In many Canadian business schools, candidates are able to pursue their MBA concurrently with their CMA. While an MBA can sometimes be a mixed blessing for accountants, it’s something many CMA candidates are nonetheless taking advantage of and putting to good use, in order to enhance their business-minded skill set and strategic thought processes.
Demonstrate career development
In order to earn their designation, CMAs must work and complete their training simultaneously. This can prove a definite advantage to you as an employer: you can shape your hire’s skill set, instilling values that will foster success for your organization.
In other words, a CMA will grow with both the role and the company. Businesses are always evolving, so an individual who can demonstrate an ability to learn and grow is a valuable employee indeed.
By hiring a CMA, you’ll gain access to a candidate who is focused heavily on strategic thinking, and will understand how innovative enterprises conduct business in a contemporary setting.
Forward thinking
CMAs are well-positioned for planning and analytic roles, due to the emphasis placed on strategic thinking in their curriculum. When you hire a CMA, you’re adding someone who is trained to be forward-looking – someone disposed to ask questions like, “where will the business be in two years?” With a curriculum that is closely aligned with the MBA, CMAs are conditioned to look at a business holistically, with an eye to strategically adding value and redefining processes. It should come as no surprise, then, that CMAs are often in hot demand for planning and analysis roles.
With a background in strategic thinking and analysis, CMAs can deliver real value for your organization. When you hire a CMA, you’re not just hiring an accountant – you’re hiring a business partner, capable of adding value and driving performance.
Let us know what you think! At Clarity Recruitment, we’re always interested in hearing from accounting and finance professionals like yourselves, who are ready for new, exciting opportunities that can take their careers to the next level. And be sure to follow us on Twitter (@clarityrecruits) and connect with us on Facebook for more great tips and advice!