In December we invited you to submit your questions to us regarding the practical experience requirements (PER) for completing CIMA. Here we publish Part One of the questions and answers.

--

Question 1:

With regards to the Extended CV, is it better to:

(a) include a comprehensive description of the roles and activities carried out in each position, or
(b) outline each position and give examples of how practical experience requirements have been fulfilled i.e. •Planning, budgeting and forecasting – I had to provide financial information about business cases to the capital planning team, in order to assist in the development of the business budgets and forecasts.

Also, do you have a 'dummy' CV which you can send out?

Answer 1:

When compiling your experience, (a) is sufficient for the application.

The things you need to include are:

– Who did you report to?
– How did you actually approach the task?
– How often did you do it?
– Why did it need to be done?
– Who was the end-user/customer?
– What software/IT did you use?
– How many people helped you or were you part of a team?
– What was the outcome?

As each person's experience is different, we do not provide a template for this section - it is over your own design.

--

Question 2:

I have appeared for TOPCIMA in November 2009. I am also a newly qualified chartered accountant from India. My question is:

a) The Indian Chartered accountancy course requires us to complete 3 years of internship in the area of audit (statutory and tax) and management consultancy , though a major chunk of my intern period was spent on audit. How much of that experience would go towards my PER

b) I am also lecturing in a leading university for CIMA managerial as well as strategic level for the past 6 months. Is there a possibility that that period too would be counted for my PER.

c) A more generic question, don't you think 3 years is a very long period for the PER considering that MBA's undergo less than 2 months of internship and get placed in organisations of good repute with a handsome salary. Don't you think the 3 year requirement hinders the potential and slows down the pace of a young CIMA student's career ladder.

Answer 2:

For experience within the audit and academic area, please review the following section on the website which include additional documents that provide this information:
http://www.cimaglobal.com/en-gb/Students/2010-professional-qualification/Test-of-professional-competence-in-management-accounting/Record-your-practical-experience/

The length of time for the requirements is considered to be standard for a professional qualification.

--

Question 3:

I have appeared for strategic level in Nov 2009. Hope to clear the exams & appear for T4 part B in May 2010. I have completed the relevant experience in the core area, however, hardly any in supplementary experience. Should I wait till I complete part B & then apply for assessment of experience?? Can my experience in core areas compensate for lack of work experience in supplementary areas? so can no work experience in supplementary areas help me gain the 50 credits in T4 part A?

Answer 3:

For the requirements, you must have a minimum 36 months of relevant experience. Of the 36 months, 18 of which must have been gained in the core area. There is no minimum requirement for supplementary experience. If you are in a position to get your experience assessed now, I would recommend submitting your application now, and that way it will have completed its assessment before you sit T4 part B.

--

Question 4:

I had my practical experience assessed and accepted when I completed the Managerial Stage. With the new syllabus, will I have to have this done again? I am currently awaiting results for the November 2009 Strategic Exams.

Answers 4:

As you have already completed this section you will receive a credit for this section under the new syllabus. All that you will be required to do when you finish your last exam is to fill the first page (only) of the membership application form, sign it and send it in.

--

Question 5:

If I have not complete the PER but have completed all exams, do I consider myself having the qualification of CIMA but not membership yet?

Answer 5:

The CIMA qualification is the exams and the practical experience. You haven't completed the qualification until you have submitted your practical experience and completed all the exams.

--

Question 6:

I am a student. When can I start building my job profile which will accredited and will fulfill the PER. Is the experience gain by a managerial level student relevant?

Answer 6:  

Relevant experience can be gained at any time. The important thing to do is to start to record your experience, so that when you are in a position to make an application, you already have a lot of the work completed as you have been keeping a record as you go along.

--

To see the other questions and expert answers in this session visit:

Ask An Expert: Practical Experience - Part Two
Ask An Expert: Practical Experience - Part Three

 

To discuss this topic further - go to the Practical Experience board.