Hi,I recently started CIMA qualification, with the view of getting into a more finance/strat role. Firstly, is this an excepted route and qualification? Secondly, would a masters in acc/finance be a better choice?Lastly, from a long-term perspective, is getting professional quals (CIMA) then getting experience and MBA better at advancing your career?Thanks for any advice.Cheers

CIMA is a useful qualification. It is standardised so people know what it means. It has practical experience requirements. It has exams that some people fail so putting some barriers to getting it.Masters degrees and MBAs on the other hand vary between schools so employers do not understand them as well; they have no practical experience requirement; and on any full time course very few will fail the exams.So from an employability perspective a CIMA is really useful for finance and strat roles.MBA can add value if gained at a top school and supplemented by appropriate experience.BTW I have an MBA but always wished I had done CIMA first.

Yeah, an MBA ain't worth jack. Get CIMA and then you'll have a PROFESSION - i.e. something where you need an actual qualification to do it (and hence won't find yourself being 'top trumped' at every twist and turn by clueless idiots who happen to have better social skills than you).

Thanks for the useful advice, its appreciated

Another vote for CIMA. A good, solid qualification that will serve you well throughout your career. Also a pre-requisite for a senior role in Finance later in your career if you choose to leave consulting.A non-accounting qualification won't hold the same weight, particularly outside of consulting.

I have the CIMA qualification and it's useful if you want to specialise in finance function consulting. Otherwise, it's neither here nor there. It becomes less useful as your career advances - senior experience starts to count for more than your early-career qualifications.