By Cecilia Montero Carranza, CAMICB Credentialing Assistant

A recent survey, conducted by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), underscores the value that credential holders place on professional certifications. ICE collected survey data from nearly 10,000 credential holders – including CMCAs – across six organizations. Most respondents work in full-time roles and the median respondent reported between 11 – 15 years of experience. While industries differ in what knowledge is required to adequately perform the tasks associated with a particular job, there are some very strong and important commonalities when it comes to earning your industry specific credential.

Respondents were asked a number of questions regarding their attitudes toward, experience with, and perceptions of the value of certification. The survey delved into respondents’ views about the benefits of holding industry specific certifications as well as employee performance, compensation, and job security. When asked about their personal beliefs on certification, 90.5 percent believed that certification was valuable in their profession. The report notes that “while biased due to the sample being current credential holders, this reinforces the value of certification for those who pursue the process.”

A Snapshot of Findings

• Nearly 78 percent of respondents reported that certification increases knowledge beyond what can be obtained from job experience alone.
• A majority of credential holders felt that certification increased their professional confidence (9 percent) and kept them more strongly connected to their profession (82.6 percent).
• A majority of respondents felt that certification demonstrated their competence (3 percent), reflected their commitment to the profession (92.3 percent) helped them stand out from their peers (80 percent) and establish their professional credibility (94 percent).
• A large majority stated that being certified allowed them to be hired more easily (1 percent) and provided more potential jobs from which to choose (82.5 percent).
• Similarly, certification directly affected compensation, with a majority reporting that certification provided opportunities for higher-paying jobs (3 percent) and that they were paid more in their own organizations (61.7 percent).

As CAMICB celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year, we‘ve witnessed for many years the inherent benefits professional managers, business partners and Boards reap when working with CMCA credentialed managers. It’s clear that a sense of pride, achievement and evidence of

professional competence means a great deal to credential holders. As a result, the community association management profession is thriving and today there are more than 20,000 CMCAs worldwide.  To review the survey findings in its entirety, go to Institute for Credentialing Excellence.

Editor’s Note: The survey data provided in this blog is printed with permission from the Institute For Credentialing Excellence.