Advice needed - Company Secretary / Governance exams

[CoCoaButter85]

Appreciate it is very specific topic. Reaching out to people who have experience in the field.

I'm looking into company secretary / governance qualification with Chartered Governance Institute. I have finance qualification and what I would like to consider a reasonable amount of experience in finance. However, company secretary/ governance duties - not so much.

I am looking into Fast Track option which would require 2 exams only, otherwise need to do 6 exams. I need to send in my CV. Currently thinking what areas of my CV I can possibly highlight to cover secretarial, governance, risk management areas? Also, am I not doing myself disfavour not doing 6 exams instead?

My work is keen for me getting qualified but currently no assurance/ plan in place what I would be involved in doing. However, I think I would be able to get the experience I would need.

I was in a similar position
I think that you need to carefully examine the content basis of the 6 and 2 exams.

If you qualify to only do the 2 exams because your prior quallification gives you an expemption are you missing out on any of the topics needed to understand how to do individual tasks. And you can do cource work as CPD even if you dont need to do the exam at the end.

You are doing a By Experience CV you need to look at the key learning aims to pass an exam and see if your CV proves that you have sucessfully ticked the boxes in real life.

If you need training signoff you should see if CGI have a develpment officer or a mentor program or network groups who would be willing to help you organise what your work need to put in place.

@AnSolas thanks for getting back. That is useful insight. I suppose both ways have pluses and minuses. Need to spend some time this week researching more about the exams and what knowledge you are required to demonstrate. I'm happy to highlight those elements in my CV (if there's anything to highlight to begin with)

May I ask which route you decided to take? and how did you find it?

It was a different profession but I had a lot of projects which covered 1 subject and prior qualification covered covered others so was given exemptions. You just need to be careful that you are not missing a building block needed for a follow-on paper. If you are be prepared to get the text books and prior exams for the "basic" exam on your own.

I also will pay for the short exam cram weekends on course work /job role areas which I dont do but have an intetest in which is changing and adapting to new rules or legal changes.

Doing the work can be hard if you are in a full time role and get no support from your employer. But if you can do it. Small study time carved out of your day can help: public transport study time, stick your computer on to word to text with earphones and pull the books out for 10min at lunch time etc all add up.

And if your employer is involved in paying allow yourself contract room to fail an exam. So no "must pass on the first go" rather they pay for only one exam round. This can help as some times work or life get in the way.
Good luck

I am doing it currently via fast track so just exams in corporate governance (got distinction) and now onto risk management

I really don't think I have missed anything by not doing boardroom dynamics. Nor strategy .

I did run through the compliance and admin textbook to ensure I know stuff they think important.

Pass rates are very low -44% last session for the 4 lower level exams.

@burnoutbabe - had no idea pass rates are so low. Are the subjects difficult? And do you have a clear path in mind how you are going to use it at work?

I used to work while at uni so unfortunately well familiar trying to squeeze out every minute available. Did the same with my finance qualification too. I must admit don't miss those days at all but nothing in life is easy so might as well just get on with it

I'm very much finance reporting role. But thinking long term I don't want to be doing what I'm doing right now for the rest of my life. I thought having secretary qualification would nice compliment my experience+ skill set and hopefully open doors to different endeavors in the future. But yes, lots of hard work for something not certain of. But there's never 100% certainty in things is there

Hey just wondering if any of you are undertaking the exams; I would like to start a group chat to help study etc, can’t seem to find one online at all

Hi. I am interested if you want to start a group chat / study buddies.

Hi, I'm part qualified for these, found them quite hard, although passed 3 so far. I didn't qualify for an exemption.

Hello if there is any member appearing in November 2024 for Corporate Governance module please msg me. Thanks.

Are the institute not running the revision sessions? I did the ones 2023 run by Neil? Very useful. And free (then I paid for a weekend session with his company that was very good on exam techniques)

I messaged people via linked in who attended those sessions and asked questions.

Hi. Yes I’m registered for the November exam. All feels a bit overwhelming at the moment