Students learn about accounting, business, finance, and statistics in commerce. Stepping into the world with knowledge of such practical and in-demand avenues opens multiple doors for commerce students. As a commerce student, you can consider various high-paying jobs in accounting, taxation, finance, and business sectors.
Despite this, most students find themselves at a crossroads at the end of class 12. While they are happy to step into college life, they are also skeptical about making the wrong career choice. This article offers a step-by-step guide on how to select a career in commerce after you complete class 12.
How to select a career after class 12 commerce
Identify your passion, interests, and strengths
To find the right career after studying commerce in class 12, you have to first understand your strengths and interests. For instance, if you enjoy working with numbers and financial data, you can consider a career in accounting and finance. Alternatively, if you have strong analytical skills and problem-solving capabilities, you can consider a career in law or business administration.
Research courses and careers
It is important to remember that your career options may vary depending on your commerce subject combination. If you have studied commerce with maths, you can venture into account and banking domains. However, if you have studied commerce without maths, your career options include company secretary and digital marketing. Once you know the career fields open to you, start researching them in detail. Understand the scope of the career, job prospects, and salary estimates. You can also conduct a quick market analysis to see the possibility of growth in the sector. Gathering this information will help you make an informed decision.
Understand career requirements
After shortlisting careers, you need to refocus your attention on the requirements for that particular career. Since most careers in the commerce fields require additional certifications, you must be aware of these requirements before choosing the career. For instance, to become a chartered accountant, you need to pass the Foundation, Intermediate, and Final level CA course exam conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Similarly, you need to complete FPSB’s Certified Financial Planner course to work in financial advisory or wealth management domains. Certain careers may also require relevant work experience and internships. Knowing these details about these courses, their duration, eligibility requirements, and costs is critical for commerce students thinking about pursuing careers in the field.
Seek career counselling
When in doubt, it’s best to defer to the advice of experts. If you find yourself confused about course and career choices, you can seek advice and guidance from career counsellors. Career counsellors spend time understanding your skills, weaknesses, and interests to then offer advice on suitable career options. They can also help you choose the right colleges, understand job placement opportunities, and draft admission applications.
Understanding top commerce careers after class 12
You can use the step-by-step guide outlined above to choose from a wide array of courses and careers. Here’s a list of some of the best-paying commerce careers you can pursue after class 12:
- Investment banker: Investment bankers can earn up to Rs. 45 Lakh p.a., making this career one of the most high-paying ones in the commerce field. Investment bankers offer advice to businesses, individuals, and governments on financial matters. They help companies raise capital by issuing of shares and bonds and spearhead mergers and acquisitions.
- Company secretary: If you’ve passed class 12 commerce without mathematics, you can consider a career as a company secretary. A company secretary acts as an in-house legal expert and compliance officer for companies. As experts in corporate laws, security laws, and capital markets, they advise the board on various matters and ensure compliance with statutory regulations.
- Financial analyst: Financial analysts work in banks, pension funds, and insurance companies, acting as advisors to these organisations. Financial analysts are responsible for gathering and assessing financial data about the company and business trends to help the organisation make investment decisions. These professionals can earn up to Rs. 13 Lakhs annually, making it a good option for commerce graduates.
- Chartered accountant: Commerce students with maths can build a lucrative career as a chartered accountant. CAs specialise in handling different responsibilities like tax planning, financial reporting, auditing, and accounting. As a CA, you can work with corporate firms and MNCs or set up your own practice with easy professional loans from NBFCs.
Conclusion
The career options available to commerce students after class 12 are also varied and multiple, as products are on sale at an online marketplace. However, to choose a career after class 12, you have to carefully review your unique interests, skills, and talents and consider your existing subject combination. Some careers require commerce with maths, while others forego this requirement. You also need to conduct thorough research on courses and career requirements that can help you understand how to build a career in commerce comprehensively. To eliminate any further doubts, you can seek advice from a trained career counsellor as well.
