1st Edition

The Basics of Achieving Professional Certification Enhancing Your Credentials

By Willis H. Thomas Copyright 2014
    216 Pages 5 B/W Illustrations
    by Productivity Press

    226 Pages
    by Productivity Press

    Professional certification has become a very popular topic and a significant number of individuals are making it a priority. Some people are torn on whether or not to obtain a certification to bolster their career. Others see the advantage of diversifying their professional portfolio and pursuing popular certifications in the areas of Project Management, Information Technology, Quality, or Human Resources. The Basics of Achieving Professional Certification: Enhancing Your Credentials provides clear-cut guidance on how to select a certification that is right for you and how you can continue to build your credentials in support of personal and professional goals.

    This easy-to-use guide can help anyone looking to achieve professional certification make informed decisions about the many options available. It can also help avoid the pitfalls of making the wrong choice as a result of being incorrectly informed. Examining the range of professional certifications offered by associations and organizations, it explains how to select the right professional certification and outlines best practices for completing the certification process.

    The book includes a CD that represents more than a year of development between resources in the U.S. and Europe. Packed with tools, it supplies permanent access to a suite of helpful training and development software, including:

    • Library management system to track training material, books, and related items (created in MS Access)
    • Learning management system to ensure training compliance (created in MS Access)
    • A number of project management resources, including a comprehensive exam preparation program
    • Royalty free multimedia resources to add pizzazz to your e-learning programs
    • Forms, templates, and checklists to support training administration
    • Tools to help evaluate training programs
    • Software to make training and certification more interactive and enjoyable

    Winner of a Cleland Publication Award, Willis H. Thomas, PhD, PMP, CPT, not only outlines the requirements for obtaining professional certification, but also provides a framework for training and development that supports the range of professional certifications. The book includes helpful test-taking tips for oral and written exams and also describes how to find supporting resources for study group participation.

    Filled with illustrative examples, the text includes testimonials from professional associations on how professional certification has benefited their members—making it helpful to professional associations as a means to encourage association membership and participation.

    Foundations
    Key Lessons
    Professional Certification Defined
    How Does the Professional Certification Process Work?
         Assessment
         The Application Process
         Lack of Knowledge about Resources
         Certification Maintenance
         Ongoing Requirements to Stay Connected
    Why Is Professional Certification Needed?
    Who Needs Professional Certification?
    Where Should a Person Obtain Professional Certification?
    Which Path Should Be Taken to Achieve Professional Certification?
    When Should Certificate Programs Be Pursued?
    What about Qualifications?
    Suggested Reading

    The Certification Marketplace
    Key Lessons
    The Certification Jungle
    Milestones in Professional Certification
    Credentialing Authorities
    Centers and Institutes for Association Leadership
    Association Management Companies
    Business Partners and Consultants
    Professional Association versus Professional Organization
    Professional Association Governance and Membership
    Professional Organization Structure and Community Members
    Registered Education Providers
    Educational Institutions
    Employers
    Critics
    Suggested Reading

    Preparing for Professional Certification
    Key Lessons
    Getting Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
    Mastering the Body of Knowledge
    Financing Professional Certification
    Accessing the Professional Certification Handbook
    Filling Out the Professional Association Membership Application
    Interpreting the Professional Certification Application
    Previewing the Different Types of Certification Fees and Dues
    Clarifying the Type of Professional Certification Assessments
    Optimizing Certification Preparation Resources
    Determining Test-Taking Strategies
    Overcoming Anxiety and Mental Blocks
    Completing the Readiness Assessment
    Suggested Reading

    Achieving Professional Certification
    Key Lessons
    Ready, Set, Go
    Career Planning
    Out of High School or with a General Equivalency Diploma
    Picking Up One- and Two-Year Programs
    Continuing on to the Four-Year Degree
    Stretching to Advanced Degrees
    Terminal Degrees and Beyond
    Practice Analysis
    Competency Development
    Learning Methodologies
    Capacity Building
    Day of the Certification Exam
    Publicizing the Credential
    Updating the Résumé, Curriculum Vitae, Portfolio, and Biography
    Applying for New Positions
    Suggested Reading

    Maintaining Professional Certification
    Key Lessons
    Sustaining Professional Association and Professional Organization Professional Certification Programs
    Budgeting Time, Energy, and Money
    Balancing Family, Friends, and Recreational Interests
    Earning PDUs and CEUs
    Volunteerism
    Obtaining Lifetime Professional Certification Status
    Reviving an Expired Professional Certification
    Sunsetting a Professional Certification That Has Been Retired
    Handling a Professional Certification That Becomes Problematic
    Reinstating a Professional Certification after It Has Been Revoked
    Deciding Not to Maintain Professional Certification
    Suggested Reading

    Good Business Practices for Professional Certification
    Key Lessons
    Defining Best Practices
    Developing the Professional Association Board of Directors
    Increasing Member Satisfaction
    Improving Communication with Professional Organizations
    Motivating Others to Become Professionally Certified
    Building a Culture That Supports Professional Certification
    Promoting a Learning Organization
    Networking for Continuous Improvement
    Weighing Certification Options
    Determining the Impact of Professional Certification Programs
    Monitoring Cash Flow
    Measuring Volunteer Engagement Specific to Certification Maintenance
    Calculating Return on Investment for Training (an Example Model)
    Creating Training Materials for Certification Preparation
    Suggested Reading

    Maintaining Compliance with Professional Certification
    Key Lessons
    A Reality Check
    Reinforcing a Compliance Mindset
    Enabling Feedback Mechanisms to Eliminate Blind Spots
    Auditing Professional Certification
    Evaluating Professional Certification
    Implementing a Tracking System for PDUs/CEUs
    Assigning the Job Role to Oversee Professional Certification
    Reviewing Implementability Concerns
    Sustaining Accreditation with a Recognized Authority
    Adhering to Sound Instructional Design and Curriculum Development
    Suggested Reading

    Case Studies in Professional Certification
    Key Lessons
    Association for Operations Management
         Basics of Supply Chain Management
         Master Planning of Resources
         Detailed Scheduling and Planning
         Execution and Control of Operations
         Strategic Management of Resources
    American Society for Quality
    American Society for Training and Development
    American Society of Association Executives
    Association of Clinical Research Professionals
    Cisco Learning Network
    International Institute for Learning
    International Society for Performance Improvement
    Microsoft
    Project Management Institute
    Society of Human Resource Management
    Suggested Reading

    Resource CD
    Acronyms
    Glossary
    References
    Index

    Biography

    Willis H. Thomas