Congratulations to accountancy junior Byeongyeon (Ben) Lim, who has passed both parts of the exam to become a Certified Management Accountant! The CMA is an internationally recognized credential that indicates “professional expertise in financial planning, analysis, control, decision support, and professional ethics – essential skills sought after by successful organizations and their financial team leaders.”
Ben’s tips on how to pass the CMA exam
Ben primarily used an exam prep package, Gleim, which he was able to access for free as part of his CMA scholarship (an opportunity shared by his ACC 333 – Managerial Accounting professor, Dr. Harshini Siriwardane). In addition, he prepared by:
- using various sources like YouTube, textbooks, and Google to familiarize himself with the concepts that had not yet been covered in previous classes
- solving the practice problems in the Gleim website and reviewed things he got wrong
- viewing Youtube videos of how an experienced test-taker would tackle the question to see if there’s a faster way to solve it.
Dr. Siriwardane also gave students sample questions adapted from the CMA exam in preparation for the ACC 333 exam. “Solving those questions in class gave me the confidence to attempt the real deal,” Ben shared.
A competitive advantage
This prestigious certification is part of Ben’s strategy to differentiate himself among others as he prepares to enter the job market. As an international student, Ben shared that he needed to overcome some challenges when pursuing an internship position in the U.S. “If a company has a choice of hiring between an American citizen and an international student with equal qualifications, it makes sense for the company to hire an American citizen, as the company won’t incur sponsoring costs. I try to go the extra mile to develop my qualifications in terms of skills, certifications, and related experiences so that the value I provide to companies FAR exceed the costs of companies sponsoring me. Ideally, I strive to become so valuable that it’s a no-brainer for companies who are looking to hire me even when competing against American citizens.”
Looking ahead
This summer, Ben will be completing an audit internship at Grossman Yanak & Ford, a regional public accounting firm in Pittsburgh. “I’m excited to apply what I’m learning as well as explore Pittsburgh this summer! Knowing management accounting will definitely help me in auditing in public accounting as well, because I will be able to better understand my client’s motivations and thought process.”