CIMA - CMGA route or CTA ?

Just for Fun
Just for Fun Registered Posts: 10 New contributor ๐Ÿธ
edited June 18 in AAT member discussion
Hi,

Has anyone done the CMGA (MBA exemptions) route to CIMA ? With 11 exemptions it has to be a good way in?

Or have you gone on to do CTA - just passed my ATT exams and now looking for the next step - has anyone done both ATT and CTA and can compare the level of the exams for me?

Thanks in advance,

JFF

Comments

  • Rinske
    Rinske Registered Posts: 2,427 Beyond epic contributor ๐Ÿง™โ€โ™‚๏ธ
    Have you got an MBA that you consider going into CIMA that way or are you planning to do an MBA and then do CIMA?

    I'm not sure about CTA or CIMA, as it will really depend on what you want to achieve with the qualification. Just getting qualifications for the sake of the qualifications doesn't make a lot of sense for employers, so you might want to look in what fits better in your personal career plan.
  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,020 Beyond epic contributor ๐Ÿง™โ€โ™‚๏ธ
    Just for Fun wrote: ยป

    Or have you gone on to do CTA - just passed my ATT exams and now looking for the next step - has anyone done both ATT and CTA and can compare the level of the exams for me?

    Thanks in advance,

    JFF

    I just asked that question on AccoutingWeb:
    http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/anyanswers/att-cta-how-much-step/513910
  • Just for Fun
    Just for Fun Registered Posts: 10 New contributor ๐Ÿธ
    Rinske wrote: ยป
    Have you got an MBA that you consider going into CIMA that way or are you planning to do an MBA and then do CIMA?

    I'm not sure about CTA or CIMA, as it will really depend on what you want to achieve with the qualification. Just getting qualifications for the sake of the qualifications doesn't make a lot of sense for employers, so you might want to look in what fits better in your personal career plan.

    Thanks for that - already have an MBA and trying to "catch up" as I'm a mid life career changer having just set up my own practice last year. Doing very well but just a nagging thought of client perception makes me think CTA or CA (whether ICAEW/ACCA or CIMA) would help - so its not just for the sake of the exams its more about positioning/qualifying the practice in the minds of the clients?

    The biggets barrier is not wanting to do a formal training contract - I do have lots of accounting experience in practice and industry in the past so that is not a problem. I've not been employed by anyone for the last 15 years and don't want to start now (which is why CIMA is better than ICAEW or ACCA) and for me doing ATT to get entry to CTA.

    Be interested in your thought?

    Regards

    JFF
  • Just for Fun
    Just for Fun Registered Posts: 10 New contributor ๐Ÿธ
    Monsoon wrote: ยป
    I just asked that question on AccoutingWeb:
    http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/anyanswers/att-cta-how-much-step/513910

    Thanks - I'll follow with interest

    JFF
  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,020 Beyond epic contributor ๐Ÿง™โ€โ™‚๏ธ
    Just for Fun wrote: ยป
    Doing very well but just a nagging thought of client perception makes me think CTA or CA (whether ICAEW/ACCA or CIMA) would help - so its not just for the sake of the exams its more about positioning/qualifying the practice in the minds of the clients?

    I really don't think you should worry too much about this; MAAT ATT is plenty good.

    I recently undertook a fees survey of AAT MiPs via this forum, having taken part in one from AccountingWeb where the majority of respondents are chartered. My fees are comparable to those who are chartered and I have had very few clients indeed comment on my qualifications. I honestly don't think the majority of people care.

    I'm doing ATT because I started years ago (as I realised the AAT exams just weren't enough) and as I've started I want to finish. I don't need it, my clients don't care. It's a personal think. Likewise I want to go on to CTA possibly one day because I want to do it - its a status and achievement thing for me - not for my clients. I might get more work out of it - I might not.

    I think client perception is driven by personality and marketing more than the letters after your name.
  • Rinske
    Rinske Registered Posts: 2,427 Beyond epic contributor ๐Ÿง™โ€โ™‚๏ธ
    I don't know if CIMA would accept your work experience. It might be worth checking it out, rather than starting and then finding that you would have been better of doing CTA after all.

    But to be fair, I don't know what the work experience requirements are if you got MBA, but I would expect the same 3 years.

    AAT - CIMA is a big step up, but I imagine that MBA - CIMA is not so much of a step up and more a matter of getting back in the routine of studying and learning how to answer CIMA exams. So in that respect I wouldn't expect you to find CIMA much more difficult then your MBA. That's not me saying you won't have to put a lot of work in, just that you're used to the level of work required.

    As for CTA, I know nothing about tax and feel quite happy that way for now. I have however no practice, work in industry and for practices I think tax might be more useful than management accounts or CIMA.
    As it's a Chartered Tax thingy, you would get the chartered and it might be more useful then CIMA?

    That boils down to personal preference again though. Personally I would go with what is more useful for your company and is more likely to bring in the money or what you find more interesting.

    I'm currently studying CIMA and just passed my first two exams. I do hope to move on to MBA after that (depending on a lot of circumstances and most likely a short break to move country), but haven't decided yet. Just out of interest, what would CIMA bring to you (other then the CA status), that you feel you miss on your MBA?
  • Just for Fun
    Just for Fun Registered Posts: 10 New contributor ๐Ÿธ
    Thanks to both of you - very interesting and always good to get external views.

    Monsoon - as you say AAT is all you need to do the work - its more a question of client perception and that varies (?) depending on the size of the client so I guess it is more that I want to secure larger clients (under the audit threshold) and that the qualification may be more important at that level. I'm more inclined to do CTA as I think that would add knowledge and confirmation of credibility

    Rinske - there are MBAs and MBAs - I was fortunate to be sponsored by my (then!) employer though a top 5 ranked business school whilst working for them. I'm not sure CIMA would add anything (on top of the MBA and AAT) but just act as a confirmation of credibility "in accountancy". Certainly in the corporate world a lot of jobs are ACA or MBA - they are seen as interchangeable although in my experience the MBAs are far more all rounders whilst ACA are slightly one dimensional.

    This may all just be a personal crisis of confidence but it helps to chat it through, may be best to go to PMs if we discuss in more detail!

    Thanks for your time and thoughts, I appreciate it.

    JFF
  • Just for Fun
    Just for Fun Registered Posts: 10 New contributor ๐Ÿธ
    Quick Update

    Well I have bitten the bullet - registered with the CIOT and have booked the 2 advisory papers in November - I'll keep you informed of my progress and also the difference in level between the ATT and CTA - I've already found however that the ATT is a very solid basis to start from and compared to some others I've met (qualified accountants but little tax experience) I feel like I am in a good posiiton.

    Watch this space

    JFF

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