After CA, what is next? Chartered Accountancy is a dream course that leads to a plethora of job possibilities. The options in this course are nearly endless, and they may be adjusted to fit your preferences, requirements, and financial situation. One can either start their own practise or work for a firm to become a Chartered Accountant.

Due to their specialized knowledge in several sectors, a CA can be appointed to a variety of job profiles, ranging from auditing and taxation to investment and finance. The next question on the minds of people prepared for the exam soon after the CA Final results are published is, "What follows next?"

To answer the unique question, "What should I do after becoming a Chartered Accountant?" We have highlighted some of the intriguing job opportunities one can follow after becoming a Chartered Accountant.

TABLE FOR CONTENT

1.   Introduction

2.   Job Opportunities after CA

• Auditor
• Teacher
• Insurance Sector
• Stock Market
• Investment Banker
• Taxation
• Business
• Finance Management
• Civil Services

3.   Salary for CA

• Salary in Big 4 Audit Firms
• Salary based on Skills
• Salary based on Experience
• Salary based on Job Profile

4.   Courses you do Pursue after CA

• DISA
• CISA
• CIA
• CFA
• ACCA
• Investment Banking
• LLB
• FRM

5.   Conclusion

JOB OPPORTUNITIES AFTER CA

1. Auditor:

• Certified public accountants (CPAs) are the only people who can audit a company's financial accounts. As a result, there is always a high need for CAs in the auditing business, and this is also the arena where a CA's pay improves the greatest.
• On the other side, the work pressure in this job profile is rather significant. One can work as an Internal Auditor for a corporation after completing the CA Inter.
• Various organizations and institutions, on the other hand, have regulations stating that only a certified Chartered Accountant, not a CA Inter passed candidate, may function as an Internal Auditor.

2. Teacher

• Teaching is a respected career with high ethical expectations. It, like CA, not only provides you with money but also with a wonderful reputation. Some CAs teach through doing their work or by putting in personal practise time.
• CAs, commerce graduation coaching programmes, select post-graduate universities, and the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry all have teaching opportunities available.
• This does not, however, must be a full-time job. You may also choose to pursue teaching in parallel to your work or practise.

3. Insurance Sector

• This is undoubtedly the most appealing option for individuals interested in risk management, insurance policy, and other insurance-related topics. Finance expertise is quite important in this situation.

4. Stock Market

• Strategic financial management is a course requirement that is covered at all levels of the programme.
• A CA may readily invest in the stock market, observe bull and bear market moods, study financial statements of organizations, and other nitty-gritty of the same.

5. Investment Banker

• This is undoubtedly one of the most popular options among freshly minted chartered accountants.
• Working for banks and NBFCs would be the best option for those interested in the stock market, currency, and derivatives (non-banking finance companies).
• When it comes to banks, instead of focusing on public and private sector banks, one should aim for international banks.
• Foreign banks provide a broad range of exposure, worldwide clients, and opportunities for growth.
• Furthermore, experience working on an international level in areas such as portfolio, credit rating, and so on will be gained.

6. Taxation

• Usually, CAs are referred to as "Taxation Experts." Many Chartered Accountants begin their careers in either direct (Income Tax) or indirect (Customs and Excise Tax) taxation (GST and other laws).
• The scope of a Chartered Accountant in this profession is growing increasingly broad as new tax legislation is implemented in our country.

7. Business

• Every person's desire is to one day become a successful entrepreneur. To grow his firm to new heights, an entrepreneur must be focused and devoted.
• Being an entrepreneur necessitates having unique ideas and abilities, as well as creativity, analytical thinking, and a thorough understanding of commercial methods.
• In order to start a business in a specific industry, one must first have work experience.
• An entrepreneur's mind should be unique, thinking about expansion and diversity, and aiming for business growth rather than survival. A well-established industrialist should be a successful entrepreneur.

8. Finance Management

• A growing number of businesses are looking for Qualified Chartered Accountants to manage their financial affairs in order to benefit from CAs' deep knowledge of the financial sector.
• This job description is highly valued and requires a diverse set of technical skills.
• It is necessary to stay up with industry trends, understand the most profitable investments, forecast the firm's business, and then advise the company on these forecasts and investments.

9. Civil Services

• This is the most adaptable career for those interested in working for the government.
• They can pursue civil service courses and eventually become president of the ITAT tribunal (income tax appeal tribunal) or head of the SEBI (Securities Exchange Board of India).
• Only by working in a government entity for a longer period of time can you obtain this position.

SALARY FOR CAs

SALARY IN BIG 4 AUDIT FIRMS

SALARY BASED ON SKILLS

SALARY BASED ON EXPERIENCE

SALARY BASED ON JOB PROFILE

COURSES YOU CAN PURSUE AFTER CA

DISA (Diploma in Information System Audit)

• The ICAI offers the DISA diploma program in system security and auditing.
• Only certified Chartered Accountants are allowed to take the DISA exam, which is administered by ICAI under a license it got from ICASA.
• For those who want to audit banks or information systems, this course is now required.
• If you want to run your own business and have a bank or information systems audit, DISA is difficult but essential.
• After CA, DISA is regarded as the top course.

CISA (Certified Information System Auditor)

• CISA is a well-known information system auditing course offered by the US-based ISACA organization.
• Also, it is the perfect choice for CAs who are unsure about what to do next after CA.
• You will emerge from the training as the best risk-based information system auditor.
• While being more difficult than DISA in accordance with the standard, CISA is more valuable because it is recognized internationally.

CIA (Certified Internal Auditor)

• CIA is a well-known training program for the IIA's Internal Audit certification (Institute of Internal Auditors).
• If one wants to advance their career as an internal auditor after becoming a chartered accountant, they should enroll in this course.
• You will learn a lot about SOX and GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) here (Sarbanes-Oxley Act).

CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)

• The CFA Institute's professional certified course is an option for anyone with a keen interest in the financial sector.
• CFA is a widely recognized program that teaches portfolio management and offers a solid foundation for real-world investment.
• You must pursue four years of on-the-job training in order to do it.

ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

• You have probably heard several times how earning an ACCA after becoming a CA can lead to numerous international professional chances.
• With an ACCA certification, you can work in 180 different countries throughout the world.
• The ACCA is a well-known organization with a reputation for competence in accounting and finance.
• You can read more about IFRS, UK GAAP, and other international laws here.
• The fact that this course accepts the CA qualification is the main benefit of taking ACCA following CA.
• A qualified Chartered Accountant only needs to appear in five papers after passing the CA Final since ACCA grants you nine exemptions from the 14 compulsory papers.
• Following CA, it is among the greatest post-qualification courses.

Investment Banking

• One of the best career alternatives after accounting is investment banking.
• You can work as a valuation analyst, investment banking analyst, M&A analyst, and many other job profiles in this field.
• An investment banker's annual pay begins between 10 and 11 lakhs.

LLB (Bachelors of Law)

• LLB is a different profession one might pursue after being a Chartered Accountant.
• Candidates must pursue a Bachelor of Law degree if they are interested in the legal professions.
• Candidates must pass admission tests like the CLAT, AILET, and LSAT in order to pursue an LLB.

FRM (Financial Risk Management)

• Candidates must pass both levels of Financial Risk Management in order to pursue a career in this field following CA.
• In the months of May and November, FRM exams are given. A financial risk manager makes between 6 and 8 lakhs in compensation annually.

CONCLUSION

Even though CA is a stand-alone qualification, these courses can help you improve your knowledge and increase your chances of being hired for a variety of roles in your field of interest.

Both industry and practice offer good potential today. They each have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Switching from industry to practice, or vice versa, is not a waste of time because they are two completely distinct games.

Don't merely take someone else's advice and pursue a CPA, CS, CMA, or other professional designation. Because each person is unique and has a distinct set of skills, what works for others may not work for them. You should choose the job path that best suits your interests and abilities.