Treasury Education: great but do not expect career miracles. Do make a strategy.
| 25-05-2016 | Pieter de Kiewit |
Last week I visited an information session about financial postgraduate education. It was organized by the VU (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam). I noticed an increased interest in comparison to last years session, which is great. Information was provided about courses I see back in the CV’s of treasurers: CFA, RBA (Register Belegging Analyst) and of course RT (Register Treasurer) that has an overlap with the ACT courses. Education, specifically postgraduate, is a topic that returns in many of my meetings. This is what I notice on the topic:
Investing in education is like investing in your network: if you start thinking about it when the need is urgent, you are too late and you will have to work harder. Education as a topic comes up, most of the time, when somebody is planning his career strategy, being in a position or when somebody is between jobs. In the first situation I often notice an intrinsic motivation, eagerness for knowledge and curiosity about other people’s experience. Elements for a solid basis to complete the education.
Candidates that lack these elements often have a harder time to complete their education. Even when they are willing to invest their own money. Furthermore, candidates that are between jobs are open for a broader range of positions than those who search from being employed. This makes it harder for the unemployed to choose which education to pursue. To complete this negative list, regretfully employers often do not have a good understanding of the value of specific treasury courses. In our assignments postgraduate treasury education is hardly ever a dealmaker or a deal breaker.
This is not a plea to stop learning! Treasury education is always great. Sometimes timing can be improved. This is a plea to plan ahead, about your career and education.
If you want to brainstorm, contact me. And let me know what your thoughts are.
Pieter de Kiewit
Owner Treasurer Search
