What should I study ?

[gingercoke]

Hi all
In a dilemma of what course to take now.
My profile : Grad with engineering degree. currently in financial/insurance sector for the last 3 yrs. Looking to continue for career growth in the financial/insurance sector.
I can either :
a) take a course with SCI College such as Chartered Life Underwriter. [but is it worthy ?]
b) take ACCA [might be too tough & not related to what I am doing now ?]
c) take a short course on IT Security [worried it would be too technical for me even though it might be a good course to kick start the engine]

Any advice or any other course ?
Thanks.

 

[powder]

what is your Purpose in taking a course?

what do u recognise, are the qualities and requisites tat can help u attain the goals in this industry?

 

[confusenism]

why not go for a MBA?

 

[powder]

better to determine Purpose prior to going for anything... if u do not wish to spend unnecessary years and money to attain something which will give little impact to your life and goals.

 

[stanzza]

Not everyone can do an mba... U can try out though.

I won't recommend IT cause it is a v technical field (even if u r in functional IT). And, the job is boring. If u r a lively person... Also, it is hard to advance in IT field when ur first degree is engineering. Cause u wont have the basic. Yes, they do teach basic programming skills in engineering but thats about it. So it's hard to advance when u r not properly equipt with the skill set.

Accounting is a dead field. Many accountants are having the crisis of their life and young students shun it. Bare in mind that accounting and finance is 2 totally ifferent field. Yes, AR, AP, GL are in finance department norm in a coy, but these are strictly speaking, accounting sections.

If you wanna stick around in finance, do a master in finance or mba. There's one course thats call engineering finance in ntu that u might wanna check out.

 

[stanzza]

I hope this clarify. A lot of accountant enter this trade by mistake and are v grouchy now.

What probably is important, for financial ppl is the understanding of GAAP. That is easily attained also, u dun need to be a CPA to understand and use that.

Leave the accounting to the accountant if u r looking for a career in finance. Of course, there are many ppl whom are dual trained.

http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-an-accounting-and-finance-degree/

 

[albertri]

I'm in IT as far as I remember and I'm a lively person and I think it's not that boring... there are many many avenue or branch-out in IT now.

I've started my career in Manfacturing as a Planner then moved to typical IT works as I have a degree in Computer Engineering... my 1st IT work as sort of IT helpdek those typical IT works, then moved to Data Center as System's Engineer, then become Lead/Supervisor then Operations Manager still in Datacenter then now as Project/Technical Program Manager still in IT/Datacenter... Since I've start managing ppl the technical role starts to go down... So IT is a very good field you can branch-out within it...

But for TS I would suggest follow your desire and what you want to be or would like to do. If you're in the banking/Financial sector and you want to grow there go for it! specially if you're happy doing what you doing now....

 

[ah_o]

I think u miss out an important point. You did not mention what is your current role in your company and whether you enjoy what you are doing. The courses you mentioned can be quite irrelevant to each other. Without knowing your career objectives it is difficult for outsiders to advise or even suggest courses for you.

 

[albertri]

I agree with Ah-O go where you're happy and career you wish to pursue

 

[stanzza]

Albertri,

"Since I've start managing ppl the technical role starts to go down... "

thats the disadvantage of IT... Normally u start off very technical. Only when u can do well technically (along with other attributes), then u get promoted.

 

[ah_o]

i do not think that the above is a disadvantage unique to IT. Which job promote you without requiring you to do well in its core function?

 

[albertri]

@ stanzza

As Ah-O mentioned I think most of the career/Discipline would be the same as you go up the food chain you tend to let go of those technical stuffs you've been doing but that doesnt mean you'll be out totally. Like for my case as a DataCenter build PM I need all my technical background when doing my project and signing of contracts or laying down the supports guidelines or SLAs. Also managing the DC team also needs you technical know-how... Most of the time as aManager you need to re-do/amend or create SOP or TSG *Trouble shooting guides)...

What I mean is you get less dirty at work as a manager... but if you want you can still get down with your guys

My advice is follow your heart go where you love/like and you think will give you satisfaction.

 

[tomasulu]

i don't understand this. the what should follow closely to the why. if you don't know the what, that's because you don't know the why. and if you don't know the why, how's it that you want to do the what?

so if you are working and you found that you lack certain qualification, skills, or knowledge, etc. to do your job properly or to advance to the next level, you'd have the why. once you are there, it is a simple matter of identifying the best route to address the inadequacy. but first you need to know the why. don't be part of the herd and do as others around you are doing. it's your life.