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SmartPulse: A question of credentials

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Finance

This post was written by Cindy Kraft, the CFO Coach, who is a career and personal-brand strategist for CFOs and corporate finance executives.

SmartPulse — our weekly reader poll in SmartBrief for CFOs — tracks feedback from leading CFOs and senior finance executives. We run the poll question each Wednesday in our e-newsletter.

Last week, we asked: Are the Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Management Accountant credentials as valuable to CFOs as a Certified Public Accountant credential?

  • No — 32.16%
  • Yes, but they aren’t as highly recognized — 23.53%
  • It depends on the industry — 21.57%
  • Absolutely — 11.76%
  • Not sure — 10.98%

Nothing, absolutely nothing, generates more conversation with CFOs than questions about credentials. While 32% of you responded that the CFA and CMA credentials are not as valuable, nearly 57% indicated they are, or could be.

Here’s the bottom line — perception is everything. If those who hold the CFA or CMA want the value of those designations raised, then evangelism begins with you and the credentialing body. Because what matters is the perception of the person and company who is doing the hiring, not the person holding the credential.