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Accounting Certifications to Advance Your Career

October 19, 2022 by Aylish DeVore

This year, the global accounting services market value is expected to reach $868 billion – and projected to grow by 6% by 2031. Due to the expansive growth, the industry is experiencing, competition in the accounting field is at an all-time high. To combat this curve, adding one or more accounting certifications to your resume may be just the thing to land you a new position or promotion to advance your career. Further, the market shows that only 36% of accounting professionals are satisfied with their job. This means an increased number of accounting professionals are on the job hunt – which means more competition.

But with an overwhelming amount of accounting certifications to choose from – how do you know which is right for you? First, you’ll need to assess where you are in your career and where you want to go. Take the time to narrow in on the desired industry you want to practice accounting in, what position you will be targeting next, long-term career goals, and the budget you have to pursue a certification.

Once you’ve mapped out your situation, the selection process will become much less daunting and the right certification for you will be clear. To get started, check out these top six accounting certifications that will get you noticed in your current role or set you up for success in your upcoming job search.

Top 6 Accounting Certifications

#1 Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

A Certified Public Accountant is defined as a trusted financial advisor who helps individuals, businesses, and other organizations plan and reach their financial goals. According to a recent study, 52.7% of accountants in the US are CPAs. It has also been noted that this certification is the most in-demand credential, even above an MBA. Obtaining a CPA license gives accountants the right to practice public accounting within their state.

CPA Certification Process:

The licensure process to becoming a CPA follow the 3 E’s – education; exam or uniform CPA examination; and experience. The requirements for education will vary by state/jurisdiction but all require at least 150 semester hours to complete this step. Next, candidates need to complete the uniform CPA exam which is computer-based and consists of four sections. Those sections include Auditing and Attestation (AUD); Business Environment and Concepts (BEC); Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR); and Regulation (REG). Question types include multiple choice, simulation, and written communication. Candidates need to receive a passing score of 75 on a 0-99 scale. In regards to experience, many states require the candidate to have 1–2 years of experience under a CPA.

Practicing CPA’s must maintain their accounting certifications through Continuing Professional Education (CPE), which is typically 40 hours per year. Overall, any accountant looking to pursue and/or practice public accounting is required to be licensed as a CPA within their state/jurisdiction.

Price:

Total cost of obtaining a Certified Public Accountant certification is about $3,025.

#2 Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)

The Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation is the premier management accounting credential. Through this certification, candidates advance their skills in finance, operations, strategy, and management, helping them to further their accounting career. Overall, this designation was created in 2012 to recognize a unique group of management accountants who have reached the highest benchmark of quality and competence. The CGMA certification is backed by tools, webinars, reports, and research that challenge thinking and keep candidates at the top tier of their profession. It’s even been reported that 91 of the Fortune 100, and 95 of the world’s top 100 brands choose CGMA designation holders over others.

CGMA Certification Process:

Those looking to earn the Chartered Global Management Accountant designation must complete the CGMA Finance Leadership Program. This course is similar in scale and skill as a master’s degree. Overall, the program is set up to be convenient, personalized, and comprehensive, as it offers an intuitive system interface, intriguing content, and progress you can track. The program is divided into three levels – operational level, the management level, and the strategic level. Each of these levels will continue to build on skill and knowledge learned from the previous one. For those who have already received relevant accounting certifications or degrees, may be eligible to skip certain levels, resulting in a faster completion.

Once enrolled in this program, candidates will complete the coursework and case study exams. After working through the Finance Leadership Program coursework, you will need to complete a minimum of three years of practical work experience before applying for the CGMA certification online.

The CGMA Finance Leadership Program really pushed me to think about taking my knowledge one step further beyond just producing accurate financials.”

- Susan Groover, CPA & CGMA holder

Price:

The CGMA Finance Leadership Program is offered in one-, two- or three-year subscriptions. If completing all three levels, the total cost is $6,375. Also, for those who are Certified Public Accountants, there is special pricing available. Once you’ve earned your CGMA designation, there is an annual fee of $395 to maintain it.

#3 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is an advanced charter for those who wish to expand their knowledge and skills. This certification allows candidates to thrive in the highly competitive accounting/finance industry. The CFA charter is designed to enable accountants with a heightened expertise and real-world skills in investment analysis. This designation is for all industry experience levels, from practicing investment professionals, students, or those looking to switch careers all together. Those who hold a CFA charter occupy a range of investment decision-making roles, with the majority of professionals being Research Analysts or Portfolio Managers.

This specific designation brings major value within the evolving industry and truly provides a leg up when it comes to competition. As a globally recognized credential in the investment management profession, the CFA charter shows employers your dedication and skill-level. When presented with a CFA, investment employers take notice in understanding it represents a higher standard.

CFA Certification Process:

To achieve a Chartered Financial Analyst charter, candidates must complete the CFA Program along with acceptable work experience requirements. The CFA Program tests the fundamentals of investment tools, valuing assets, portfolio management, and wealth planning. Overall, this program contains three levels of curriculum, each with its own exam. Each level will build on the prior level and become increasingly more complex as candidates advance. On average, candidates report investing over 300 hours of study in advance to successfully passing each level. Paired with the curriculum, the CFA Institute offers candidates innovative study tips and prep providers with extra exam prep courses and materials to ensure program success.

All three levels of the program focus on knowledge surrounding the same overarching themes, but differ in exam style and format. These levels cover the following ten topic areas, ethical and professional standards; quantitative methods; economics; financial statement analysis; corporate issuers; portfolio management; equity investments; fixed income; derivatives; and alternative investments.

The Level I exam consists of 180 multiple choice questions, split between two 135 minute sessions. Level II exam consists of 22 item sets comprised of vignettes with 88 accompanying multiple-choice questions. Lastly, the Level III exam will then consist of 11 item sets comprised of vignettes with accompanying multiple-choice items and 11 constructed response (essay) questions.

Price:

The total cost for the CFA Program is $3,050 – $3,950, depending on fee deadlines. The CFA Institute also offers scholarships to help make the CFA Program more accessible for all.

#4 Certified Management Accountant (CMA)

The Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification has been the global benchmark for management accountants and financial professionals for over 50 years. CMAs bring strategic thinking, applied work experience, and the ability to convert data into dialogue. The overall goal of the CMA certification is to give candidates the ability to explain the "why" behind numbers, not just the "what." In turn, this gives those greater credibility, higher earning potential, and ultimately a seat at the leadership table. On average, those who complete the CMA certification receive a 58% increased salary advantage compared to accountants without the certification.

CMA Certification Process:

The CMA certification exam process is taken in two parts, covering 12 competencies. Part one focuses on financial planning, performance, and analytics. These topics include external financial reporting decisions; planning, budgeting, and forecasting; performance management; cost management; internal controls; and technology and analytics. Part two of the exam then focuses on strategic financial management topics that include financial statement analysis; corporate finance; decision analysis; risk management; investment decisions; and professional ethics. Background requirements for the CMA certification include a bachelor's degree or other professional accounting certifications and two years of work experience.

Preparation for the CMA certification can be accomplished either in a live or virtual classroom, both on your own time. Methods and materials are selected on an individual basis to best match the way each candidate studies.

On average it takes about 12-18 months to complete both parts of this certification. It’s recommended to plan on spending about 150-170 hours of study prep, per part. Based on a recent report, candidates on average can expect $1,696 or more in returned lifetime earnings for every hour of study time they complete.

Price:

For professional members, the cost of the CMA certification includes a $280 entrance fee and $460 exam fee (per part), totaling $1,200. For student/academic members, the entrance fee is $210 and each exam fee is $345, totaling $900. The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) also offer a group staff enrollment program to companies looking to help their employees close the skills gap and gain a competitive edge in the market.

#5 Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)

The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation has been setting the standard for excellence within the auditing space for over 40 years. As the only globally recognized internal audit certification, the CIA designation is the overall best tool to communicate knowledge, skills, and competencies. This certification will ensure candidates can effectively carry out professional responsibilities for any internal audit, anywhere in the world.

Upon completing this certification, auditors will be able to distinguish themselves from their peers as well as enhance credibility and respect, sharpen skills and proficiencies, increase advancement and earning potential, and demonstrate understanding and commitment. With over 170,000 CIAs in 170+ countries awarded the designation; the CIA is proven to be the certification most valued by employers of internal audit professionals.

CIA Certification Process:

To be accepted into the CIA program, the candidate must either, hold a bachelor’s degree or higher; hold an active Internal Audit Practitioner designation; or possess five years of internal auditing experience. This experience can be in any of the following: internal audit, quality assurance, risk management, audit/assessment/disciplines, compliance, external audit, internal control. A character reference signed by a CIA, CGAP, CCSA, CFSA, CRMA, QIAL, or the candidate's supervisor, is also required to apply.

Once candidates have been accepted into the CIA program, they must pass all three CIA exam parts. Part one of the CIA exam is the essentials of internal auditing. It covers six domains focusing on the foundation of internal auditing; independence and objectivity; proficiency and due professional care; quality assurance and improvement programs; governance, risk management, and control; and fraud risk. This section is made up of 125 questions and is 2.5 hours in length.

Part two, the practice of internal auditing, covers four domains focused on managing the internal audit activity, planning and performing the engagement, and communicating engagement results and monitoring progress. Candidates must complete 100 questions within 2 hours.

Lastly, part three is an additional 2 hours and 100 questions on business knowledge for internal auditing. This section reviews four domains focused on business acumen, information security, information technology, and financial management. To prepare, the IIA provides sample CIA exam questions and answers to use as insight into what types of questions to expect.

Price:

Pricing for the Certified Internal Auditor course varies based on membership. The total price including application and all three exam fees for IIA members is $940, non-members is $1,445, and students is $740.

#6 Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

The Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification is a world-renowned standard of achievement for those who audit, control, monitor, and assess an organization’s information technology and business systems. Overall, the CISA certification proves your expertise in the following domains, information systems auditing process; governance and management; information systems acquisition, development and implementation; information systems operations and business resilience; and protection of information assets.

The average salary of a CISA holder is $149K and acquiring this designation, on average, results in a 22% pay boost and 70% on-the-job performance improvement. With over 151K+ certification holders, the CISA certification is the clear choice for those looking to prove their expertise in IS/IT auditing, control, and security.

CISA Certification Process:

Eligible candidates for the CISA certification must have five or more years of experience in IS/IT audit, control, assurance, or security. The exam is split up into five domains, which include information system auditing process; governance and management of IT; information systems acquisition, development, and implementation; information systems operation and business resilience; and protection of information assets. The total length of the exam is 4 hours and is constructed of 150 multiple choice questions.

ISACA offers a variety of exam preparation resources including group training, self-paced training, and study resources to help ensure exam success. Once candidates take the exam in an approved proctored setting, they will receive their score immediately on the screen after completion. ISACA uses and reports scores on a common scale from 200 to 800. 450 or higher is considered a passing score.

Taking and passing the ISACA certification exam, candidates must submit their application along with a $50 processing fee. All CISAs must adhere to ISACA’s Code of Professional Ethics, Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy, as well as Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Policy, and Information Systems Auditing Standards.

Price:

Exam registration fees for the CISA certification are based on membership status at the time of exam registration. Price for ISACA members is $575, and $760 for non-members.

Accounting Certifications Wrap-up

Regardless of the certification you choose, having an additional designation of expertise on your resume ensures an industry advantage when making career moves, big or small. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with which of these accounting certifications is right for you, take it one step at a time. Narrow down your options based on skill-level, career goals, and budget. Upon completing which ever certification you choose, be sure to stay up to date on their renewal processes and update your resume and LinkedIn profiles to ensure you get the most out of your hard work.

If you’re still not 100% sure which accounting certifications would be best for you, contact a BSS recruiter to help you decide and see which career path makes the most sense!

Top 10 Sales Certifications That Will Get You Noticed

June 10, 2022 by Aylish DeVore

According to a survey by HR.com, “100% of respondents agreed that industry certifications are preferred during the hiring process, in both new hire and internal employee placement scenarios.” But why are additional certifications so valuable? Today’s job market is more competitive than ever and certifications help candidates stand out from the pack when looking to land a new position.

Obtaining a sales certification that is relevant to your current or desired role helps keep you up to date on trends, skills, and techniques to be a better sales professional and can help you get noticed by management. Along with career advancement, having a certification on your resume can directly correlate to pay increases. Research by The Narrow Ladder found that in career fields (like sales) that value certifications, these distinguishing accolades carry significant salary premiums – as much as 18% higher than the average in their sample.

Once you’ve decided to pursue a certification in sales, the sheer number of options available can be overwhelming. Granted, this is not the worst problem to have; but to narrow down your search, first you’ll need to assess your goals. Ask yourself questions like, what skills are you looking to improve? Are you wanting to remain in your current role, advance to one with more responsibility, or transition to a new company all together? Would you like to lead a sales team or simply expand on your hands-on sales techniques? After your goal assessment, you’ll need to consider how much time and money you’re willing to invest in a sales certification. Once you’ve nailed down these variables, the process of choosing a certification that’s right for you becomes a lot more manageable. To help narrow the search, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 sales certifications offered in the sales field today.

National Association of Sales Professionals (NASP) Sales Certifications

The National Association of Sales Professionals is a global organization with the largest online community of sales candidates in the world. Their mission is to connect industry professionals and experts together to network and share best practices. The certifications and trainings they offer are uniquely centered around daily habit conditioning and weekly coaching that ensures maximum skill retention. Other benefits of their programs include flexible monthly subscription plans; team support; access anywhere through smartphones and/or internet devices; weekly assignments and online journals; and even exclusive sales retreats and events.

#1 Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP)

Highlighted Skillset: The CPSP certification teaches participants how to completely alter the way they approach sales and communication. The course is heavily centered around learning techniques when communicating with individuals, groups, over the phone, in a meeting, and while presenting to leadership or customers. This sales certification builds on the strategic sales process and incorporates the emotional needs and psychological triggers that drive decision-making. Some of the key takeaways include learning how to shorten sales cycles, effectively overcome objections, create the sales habits that set you apart, and how to close more sales overall.

Certification Process: The CPSP certification is a very flexible 6-week course that can be completed on any device, including a cell phone – from anywhere, at any time of day. Participants will log in to complete each daily module for 45 consecutive days. Each module averages about 20-30 minutes with weekend days designed to be quick check-ins – while still encouraging daily habit development. After the 45 days, there is a final exam which must be passed with a minimum score of 80%.

Price: The total cost of this sales certification is $695.

Who it’s for: This certification is tailored toward sales professionals, sales executives, CEOs, business owners, and anyone looking for an advantage when getting into sales.

#2 Certified Professional Sales Leader (CPSL)

Highlighted Skillset: The CPSL certification is aimed to help candidates improve the way they approach sales leadership. It focuses on techniques to influence the sales professional’s behavior to in turn, increase performance and revenue. This certification is fully designed to help develop one’s full potential as they step into the new space of sales leadership. Participants will leave this course with the ability to build a self-directed and empowered sales team; align individual motivations with achieving corporate goals; support a sales team with the tools they need to get results; lead salespeople effectively through their own perceived limitations; increase performance to lead by example; and help a team build effective habits for consistent and sustainable results.

Certification Process: The certification process for the CPSL is the same layout and schedule as the other NASP certification mentioned previously.

Price: The total cost of this certification is $795.

Who It’s For: Presidents and VPs of Sales, Directors of Sales, Sales Managers, small business owners, or sales professionals looking to move into a leadership role would all benefit from this sales certification.

#3 Certified Master Sales Professional (CMSP)

Highlighted Skillset: The CMSP is unique because it includes both the CPSP and CPSL sales certifications mentioned above in one all-encompassing program. Along with completing the CPSP and the CPSL certification, participants also gain access to the Association’s Advanced Sales Influence program and a year-long membership to their Sales Mastery Group. This course is designed to help salespeople and sales leaders quickly ramp up their abilities to successfully navigate and excel in the industry by learning how to influence others. Participants will walk away with the ability to utilize unique techniques developed from 20 years of modeling, interviewing, and coaching the top 1% of business leaders and sales professionals in the world.

Certification Process: The Certified Master Sales Professional program is a comprehensive 14-month master certification. The process follows the same format when completing both the CPSP and CPSL certifications, followed by the Advanced Sales Influence program and 12 months of Sales Mastery course work.

Price: This all-in-one master course totals $3,400.

Who It’s For: Sales professionals, sales executives, CEOs, business owners, and anyone looking for an advantage as they step into the industry of sales would benefit from a CMSP.

American Association of Inside Sales Professionals (AA-ISP) Sales Certifications

The mission of the AA-ISP is to help advance virtual sales professionals to the next level in their career. This global community offers published content, local chapters, community research and benchmarking, global conferences, career development, and virtual sales training/certification programs for all levels. Their peer-driven community and resources provide hands-on learning and support across all certification programs.

#4 Certified Inside Sales Professional (CISP)

Highlighted Skillset: The CISP sales certification covers a wide range of skills and techniques useful for any early- to mid-stage sales representatives. Key lessons in this sales certification include business 101 and the sales process; research and preparation; components of a successful prospecting call; discovery and qualification; presenting a solution; objection handling; closing; and territory/account/channel management.

Certification Process: The CISP accreditation is a web-based, online program which includes 10-modules of preparatory coursework, followed by a final “live sales call” role play exam. Completing the coursework takes about 8-12 weeks, before attempting the final exam. Each module expands on specific topics and techniques needed to successfully pass the final exam. Participants will work through practice simulations, observe audio recordings of sales calls, and take quizzes after each module.

Price: The price of this certification ranges based on membership: totaling $875 for AA-ISP professional members, and $1,020 for non-members.

Who It’s For: This sales certification is applicable for all early- to mid-stage sales representatives looking to focus on inside sales.

#5 Certified Sales Development Representative (CSDR)

Highlighted Skillset: This is a beginner-level sales certification that teaches in-depth, fundamental sales knowledge. The CSDR course work covers how to generate sales leads, ways to target accounts, communication techniques, and strategies for setting and measuring goals. This is a detailed learning course that covers hands-on takeaways that sales professionals can implement into any sales role.

Certification Process: The CSDR is a web-based, self-paced learning platform that includes 4 course modules, all with audio/visual learning options. Upon completing the course work, sales professionals prove their knowledge through a written test and a “live sales call” role play experience with a test proctor.

Price: The price of this certification ranges based on membership: totaling $575 for AA-ISP professional members and $720 for non-members.

Who It’s For: This sales certification is applicable for all early- to mid-stage sales representatives, specifically those who will be practicing sales development.

#6 Certificate in Virtual Sales

Highlighted Skillset: The Certificate in Virtual Sales is designed to meet the rising demand for virtual selling skills. With so much of the world transitioning to conducting business virtually, this certification was created to capture and advance those skills in the sales industry. The buying process has been shifting digitally over the past decade beyond the recent spike in virtual reality due to the global pandemic. It’s clear now more than ever that both inside and field-based sales professionals need to have the appropriate skills and knowledge surrounding best practices in virtual selling. This sales certification covers a range of skills including how to place a webcam for ideal lighting, hosting a video conference, virtual prospecting, account management, and much more.

Certification Process: The Certificate in Virtual Sales is a self-paced, e-learning format and can be completed in 1 week or less. The program consists of text/written assignments and study resources, video learning, and interactive lessons with quizzes following each.

Price: This sales certification is offered in two programs – the representative program totals $279/person and the leadership program totals $299/person. Discounted group pricing is also available for teams of 4 or more and can be made up of a combination of reps and leadership programs.

Who It’s For: This sales certification is great for both inside representatives, field representatives, and sales management looking to increase their virtual selling skills.

Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI) Sales Certifications

Sales and Marketing Executives International is globally known for developing and educating the best sales and marketing professionals in the space. As a leading nonprofit professional association, SMEI designs their programs to test the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required to succeed in a specific role. They understand that credibility within the sales and marketing profession is important and believe that those who have met and surpassed high standards of education, experience, knowledge, and ethical conduct should be recognized. That’s why SMEI has established sales certifications and marketing certifications for professionals to complete and use professional designations. All of their programs involve part-time self-study and an examination process.

#7 Certified Sales Executive (CSE)

Highlighted Skillset: The CSE certification prepares individuals for the exciting challenges related to leading a sales team in today’s competitive economy. The course teaches basic theoretical foundations that enable sales professionals to adapt to the economy as it continues to evolve. The certification balances practical applications and techniques to utilize to improve sales performance.

Certification Process: This sales certification is a self-study course that can be completed at each individuals’ preferred pace. The course offers an online learning system to study the e-textbook, take quizzes, and prepare for the certification exam. After completing the course work, there is a final exam that is made up of 180 multiple-choice or true/false questions and is timed for 3 hours. A score of 75% or better is considered passing. The exam that can be taken from home or from an office using any computer and webcam. Once the exam is passed, participants will receive an online digital certification badge from SMEI to display. Note: users will need to complete the online exam within 1 year of their application date, using the approved online proctor system.

Price: This sales certification costs $989 for non-members and $593.40 for executive members.

Who It’s For: Sales management, executives, and account managers would all benefit from this sales certification.

HubSpot Academy Sales Certifications

HubSpot Academy is the worldwide leader in free online training for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service professionals. Their program specializes in comprehensive certifications, singular topic courses, and bite-sized lessons for professionals looking to grow their career and business. HubSpot Academy’s mission is to transform the way people and companies grow by offering free online trainings for the digital age. From quick, practical courses to comprehensive certifications, they are able to cover a range of cutting edge business topics. Overall, HubSpot Academy aims to educate users on the HubSpot software so they can market, sell, and grow an inbound business.

#8 Inbound Sales Certification

Highlighted Skillset: The Inbound Sales Certification is designed to be a deep dive into the world of inbound selling. The curriculum covers inbound sales fundamentals, prioritizing active buyers over passive ones; earning the attention of today’s empowered buyer; understanding the buyer’s context and delivering personalized sales presentations. Participants will learn how to identify new prospects, connect with them, explore their needs, and effectively advise them on a path forward.

Certification Process: The Inbound Sales Certification is made up of 5 lessons ranging from 25-30 minutes each in length. The course format is video-based with 22 videos total, followed by 5 quizzes at the end of each section. The certification in total will take 2 hours and 12 minutes to complete.

Price: Free! Participants just have to create an account on HubSpot Academy and they’ll gain instant access to all certifications and courses.

Who It’s For: Sales representatives and those in sales management will benefit from this certification.

#9 Academy Sales Enablement Certification

Highlighted Skillset: The Sales Enablement Certification teaches sales professionals how to develop a marketing-driven sales enablement strategy and how to execute it. This course was designed with marketing managers in mind, but sales leaders can benefit just the same by applying the principals involved in this approach to sales enablement. The certification allows for marketing and sales managers to align sales skills with marketing skills. The course dives deep into defining target customers by using buyer personas and addressing their needs. Some of this course curriculum includes intro to sales enablement; aligning teams around unified revenue goals; developing lead qualification framework; creating hero statements; continuing enablement after the sale; and evaluating sales enablement technology.

Certification Process: Course work for this certification includes 12 video-based lesson classes with quizzes following each one. The course totals 4 hours and 29 minutes in length and is completed upon taking the 60-question exam.

Price: Free with zero requirements.

Who It’s For: Both sales managers and marketing managers alike can benefit from this course.

Trailhead – Salesforce Sales Certifications

Trailhead is Salesforce’s free online learning platform that provides sales professionals with skill enhancement opportunities. Their mission is to then, in turn, open up future Salesforce career opportunities backed by these certifications. Their inclusive community encourages building global connections with Trailblazers of all experience-levels. Participants can look for mentorship, expand their network, or simply utilize this platform to advance their Salesforce skillset.

#10 Salesforce Certified Administrator

Highlighted Skillset: There are two certifications within the Salesforce Certified Administrator program. The first is the Salesforce Certified Administrator credential that focuses on the features and functionality used to maintain a Salesforce implementation. The second is the Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator, which is just that – more advanced. Upon completing this sales certification, candidates gain a broad knowledge of skills including customizing Salesforce, regularly configuring the platform, managing users, and looking for ways to get even more out of its features and capabilities. Before obtaining this certification, participants should have a general knowledge of the features available to end users and the configuration options available to a Salesforce Administrator. Overall, users should be comfortable maintaining a Salesforce organization, responding to common business requirements, and performing administrative functions. Additionally, candidates should have at least 6 months of experience as a Salesforce Administrator and should be able to successfully perform common Salesforce tasks.

Certification Process: Preparing to take this sales certification exam will take a total of 69 hours. Participants will work through course work made up of modules, tasks, and projects. The course is then followed by an in-depth review session and a practice test that candidates can use to gauge their readiness. The practice test has 30 questions and is offered in a timed or untimed version. If taking the timed version, users will have 30 minutes to complete it. Lastly, participants will need to complete the final exam, either onsite at a testing center or in an online proctored environment, with a passing score of 65% or higher. This exam is made up of 60 multiple-choice questions and 5 non-scored questions. The time allotted to complete the exam is 105 minutes. You can download more resources and the full exam guide, here.

Price: The cost of this sales certification ranges from $200-$400. Note: there is a retake fee of $100 if participants do not pass the final exam on the first try.

Who It’s For: This certification is designed for individuals who have experience with Salesforce and are continuously looking for ways to assist their companies in getting even more from its additional features and capabilities.

No matter the certification you chose to pursue, having one on your resume will ensure you have a leg up on the competition when making career moves. Remember that while the process of selecting the right course can be daunting, it becomes much simpler when you narrow down what you’re looking for in your future career. Another tip to consider is the credibility of the organization offering the certification or course. Choosing a certification from a well-known organization can sometimes be more beneficial in the long run.

Once you choose and complete the ideal sales certification for your needs, remember to stay up to date on their renewal processes and update your resume and LinkedIn profiles to ensure you get the most out of your hard work. If you’re still not 100% sure which certification is best for you, reach out to one of Blue Signal’s specialized sales recruiters to help you decide and see which career path makes the most sense. As experts in the sales field, we are always willing to share our knowledge to help the advancement of others in the space!

2020-2021 Blue Signal Virtual Summit Awards

January 14, 2021 by Aylish DeVore

In 2020, Blue Signal expanded its recruiting team to 24 full-time recruiters, brought on an additional 3 operations team members, and awarded several promotions to some of its senior team members. We placed over 300 qualified candidates in exciting new roles, and despite the difficult circumstances brought on by Covid-19, we were able to exceed our annual revenue from 2019. This year our annual Blue Signal Summit looked a little different as it was held virtually, rather than in-person in Scottsdale, Arizona. None the less, we were elated to come together to review our record-breaking 2020 awards and discuss big plans for 2021 and beyond.

If it weren’t for our incredible leadership, we would not be where we are today. At the Summit, Blue Signal Owner and Executive Vice President, Matt Walsh, announced several awards to recognize some of our top performers and exemplary mentors.

Top Cash In & Top Billings 2020 - Ryan Walsh

Within his first two years in the industry, Ryan Walsh has achieved the awards for Top Cash-In and Top Billings two years in a row - a feat unheard of in recruiting. This past year he was promoted to Senior Recruiting Manager for his diligence and eagerness to share knowledge with junior members of the team. While accepting his award, Ryan took the time to thank his team and the fellow recruiters that worked together on split placements that all contributed to securing these milestones. He also gave a special shoutout to our Project Manager Kimberly Sjurson, who was brought on just six months ago and has truly made a huge impact at Blue Signal through her hard work and dedication.

MVP Award 2020 - Lacey Walters

As the “lifeblood of Blue Signal,” Lacey Walters was recognized as the three-time recipient of the MVP, Top Contributor award. During his speech, Matt mentioned that without Lacey’s daily, behind-the-scenes work, none of what we do at Blue Signal would be possible. Over the years, Lacey has been able to grow her team, and by building an incredible support system she leads the execution of all marketing aspects for Blue Signal with ease. She is truly the company’s MVP and has proven it time and time again as she contributes to the company’s overall success and earns this acknowledgment.

Record-Breaking 2020 Awards - Jonathan Lee

Excellence Award 2020 - Jonathan Lee

In his announcement, Matt congratulated Jonathan Lee with the nickname “Jonny Excellence,” as this award was created specifically with him in mind. Matt voiced his appreciation of all Jonathan’s support, as he is always there to help with the most positive attitude and continues to put in the extra mile in all he does. As the first recipient of the Best Support Award at last year’s summit, it comes with no surprise that Jonathan is yet again acknowledged for his hard work. Jonathan is constantly focused on excellence for himself and the team and is truly a beacon of the word. We’re extremely grateful to have Jonathan as part of the team!

Record-Breaking 2020 Awards - Kelsey Campion

Top Contractor Billings 2020 - Kelsey Campion

With over $100K in contractor billings, Kelsey Campion secured the award for the Top Contractor Billings in 2020. Matt said it best when he described Kelsey as an “absolute machine” when it comes to contract roles. He mentioned her extreme dedication and work ethic as she is always making herself available by working nights, weekends, and holidays to secure her roles and keep pushing for more. Kelsey’s efforts this year played a huge part in Blue Signal being recognized as part of Forbes’ annual list of America’s Best Temporary Staffing Firms for 2020. We don’t know how she does it, but she continues to improve and outperform her personal records on a regular basis.

Record-Breaking 2020 Awards - Brent Stokes

First Year Top Billings 2020 - Brent Stokes

In order to recognize Brent Stokes’ mind-blowing performance, this award was newly created to recognize his achievements as a new member of the Blue Signal team. With almost 4 years of recruiting experience behind him, Brent joined Blue Signal in February of 2020 and was able to secure over $300K in total billings in the remaining 10 months of the year. In his speech, Matt congratulated Brent on all he has accomplished and shared his appreciation for Brent’s dedication to learning, and for serving as a role model for others to learn from. We hope to replicate this kind of success and drive in future recruiters to come.

These 5 individuals embody Blue Signal’s core values of excellence, transparency, integrity, commitment, and respect. They put clients and candidates first, no matter the circumstance; and drive the culture of the organization through leading by example. These standout team members earned their prestigious recognition, and we are all excited to see what success 2021 will bring them, and the company as a whole.

2020 Blue Signal Summit Awards

January 27, 2020 by Lacey Walters

In 2019, Blue Signal expanded their recruiting team to 17 full-time recruiters, brought on an additional 3 operations team members, and awarded several promotions to some of its senior team members. We placed over 150 qualified candidates in exciting new roles, and our annual revenue exceeded that of the last 3 years combined. During our annual Blue Signal Summit, held in Scottsdale, Arizona, we reviewed our record-breaking 2019 and discussed our big plans for 2020 and beyond.

If it weren’t for our incredible leadership, we would not be where we are today. At the Summit, Blue Signal Owner and Sr. Managing Partner, Matt Walsh, announced several awards to recognize some of our top performers and exemplary mentors.

2019 Rookie of the Year - John Stuart

Having joined our team late-January 2019, John Stuart jumped into his first year of recruiting head first. During John’s first few months he almost lost steam, but as the management team reassured - the fruits of his labor would pay off. And once it did, it really paid off. With the securing of several placements, and even bringing on a few new clients of his own, John truly worked to earn the recognition of Rookie of the Year for 2019.

Top Cash-In Award 2019 - Ryan Walsh

Within his first year in the industry, Ryan Walsh was promoted to Recruiting Manager for his diligence and eagerness to share knowledge with junior members of the team. That year, he brought in what would quickly become some of our best clients. From there, it was no surprise that placement after placement, Ryan would achieve the Top Cash-In for 2019.

Top Billings 2019 - Ryan Walsh

Ryan’s dedication and close work with his clients also helped him secure an additional award for Top Billings in 2019. During the Summit, company owner and Ryan’s older brother, Matt, reminded Ryan of the trials he faced his first year. Matt even admitted that although they are brothers, he worked Ryan harder than anyone else on the team. Regardless, Ryan took the reins and certainly made his brother and the company proud.

MVP, Top Contributions 2019 - Lacey

As the “lifeblood of Blue Signal,” Lacey Walters was recognized as the two-time recipient of the MVP, Top Contributor award. During his speech, Matt recalled the day they hired Lacey, stating, “Talking about the growth and future plans for the organization, she told me her hands were shaking because she was so excited.” We all truly believe we would not be where we are today if not for Lacey’s dedication and creativity.

2019 Best Support Award - Jonathan

A new award to the Blue Signal Summit lineup, the Best Support Award was created specifically for this winner. And as anyone in the company can attest, there is no one more supportive or loyal to the company than Jonathan Lee. The literal first person in, last person out of the office day in and out is always Jonathan. If you needed anything, at any hour of the day or night, he would answer your call. Jonathan continually motivates, inspires, and elevates each member of the team and is well-deserving of this accolade.

These 4 individuals embody Blue Signal’s core values - excellence, transparency, integrity, commitment, and respect. They put clients and candidates first, no matter the circumstance; they drive the culture of the organization through leading by example. These leaders earned this prestigious recognition, and we are all excited to see what success 2020 will bring them, and the company as a whole.

7 Subtle Motivation-Killers of Top Employees

February 17, 2017 by Lacey Walters

“Highly motivated” is a common requirement on job descriptions, but in reality, “built-in” motivation is a myth. While an employee’s internal drive is important, the other half of the equation is a joint effort by the employee and the manager to foster a productive workplace.

Employee engagement is a top buzzword of recent years, and there are many obvious killers of motivation: below-market pay, crushing workload, delayed wages, unfair management practices, and oppressive bureaucracy. But for highly paid top performers, some team managers miss more subtle killers of motivation. In an increasingly competitive job market, these top employees have more options than ever, so it is important to address motivation killers and build a productive, healthy environment that lets high performers shine.

1. Unclear advancement plans

In the modern high-level interview, hiring managers often ask for a prospective employee’s career goals. Not everyone wants to go into management, so this interview question is critical in uncovering what motivates the employee. However, many managers never follow up on this initial conversation.

Regularly discussing where the employee wants to go and how to get there is important, but it is only the start. High achievers are good at setting and reaching goals, so they need to have measurable targets to hit and a specific timeline. If an employee feels they are indefinitely treading water, or that they have no prospects for advancement at their current company, they will move on. Tip the balance by giving top performers a realistic idea of their growth timeline and what they can expect as a reward for their hard work.

2. Unaddressed conflict

High performers often have well-rounded communication skills and are good at coping with set-backs and frustrations. That said, a toxic work environment will quickly frustrate someone who is trying to focus on achieving good results in their job. A sudden change in an employee’s performance or an abrupt drop-off in communication is a telltale sign of a toxic situation. Toxic workplaces kill employee engagement.

Promptly address conflict. Meet face-to-face with involved employees and be prepared to discuss what is bothering them in honest, blunt terms. Many times, good communication with a mediator will take the fire out of a bad situation. At other times, more drastic measures are required. Either way, when a top employee is sending distress signals, ignoring the problem destroys trust along with motivation.

3. Lack of feedback and/or indifference to new ideas

When employees come up with new ideas and find new ways of doing things, it is a sure sign that they have good motivation and are engaged in their jobs. A quick way to kill that motivation is to gloss over their ideas. Even if the idea is totally unworkable, enthusiastic acknowledgement of their effort is critical.

Meet regularly with high-performing employees, not just to assess performance, but to build trust so that the employee feels confident enough to share new ideas. Top performers often provide advice that is just as good as a pricey consultant.

4. Poor industry reputation

A company rarely has a bad reputation without something else being wrong. Negative press or a poor financial outlook can cause employees to start searching before a crisis hits. This correlation is stronger with senior executives. Executives are generally more in tune with market conditions and the company’s industry reputation. Senior employees are also impacted more strongly by performance-based bonuses and budget cuts, so a stream of bad press can jumpstart a new job search.

Interestingly, the past few years have seen the market become much more politicized. In a report titled “The Dawn of CEO Activism,” KRC Research found that almost 40% of American consumers say CEOs have a responsibility to publicly address hot-button political issues. Depending on whether employees support or oppose their company’s views, political involvement can bolster or kill motivation. Senior executives in particular may come under fire for comments by the company, or have to clean up messes as a result of an unpopular comment.

In fast-moving industries with shorter tenure, especially technology, top performers look ahead to make sure that the experience they are building now can get them a job down the road. Tech professionals have learned the hard way that even giants like Myspace and Netscape can hit hard times and turn a star resume into one that looks dated and unfashionable.

5. Being passed over for a key promotion

Top performers are less of a flight risk than underperformers. However, sudden departures are often due to missing out on a promotion or award. If a hiring manager is interviewing internally and interviews three top performers for a juicy promotion, and only one of them gets it, the hiring manager risks losing his other two top performers. The solution is to take time to give them a good explanation as to why they were passed over. Reevaluate their career path within the organization together with them.

Ironically, top employees sometimes leave because of a promotion or salary increase! The HR analytics software Workday found that a significant percentage of high-performing employees had a higher risk of leaving the company after a promotion.

Several scenarios can cause this phenomenon:

After transitioning into the new role, the employee runs into one of the problems above.
The employee takes on more responsibility than they could manage.
The promotion or raise comes too late or fails to meet expectations.
The new job title or award makes the employee more attractive to recruiters or motivates them to explore even better options outside the company.

When interviewing internal candidates for a high-level position, it is critical to spend time with the rejected candidates to reevaluate their growth plan within the company, so they do not take it as a sign to move on.

6. Insufficient mentorship or development opportunities

Networking is still the #1 way that people get a new job or advance at their current one. It is important to help top employees build mentor relationships within the company.

A mentor fulfills many roles in an employee’s professional life: they coach, train, give advice, brainstorm, encourage, and correct. Having strong professional relationships within an organization is a powerful incentive for a high achiever to work hard and stay with the company.

By contrast, companies who fail to invest in their top employees’ growth lose twice. Their top people gravitate to the competition, and they fail to attract top employees to replace them. Today’s employee knows that demand for new skills is fierce. Top employees have to reinvent themselves several times in the course of their careers. If an employer is not investing their skills, they lose the motivation to invest their best effort in growing the company.

7. Too little work or uninteresting projects

A mediocre employee will happily take a paycheck without enough work to keep them busy. Top performers want to be challenged. Even if an employee believes wholeheartedly in the company’s mission and loves their work, they will quickly become frustrated if they are bored or perceive that their work is unimportant.

If a high performer is consistently hitting goals without much effort, they have outgrown their current role. It can be tempting to keep them where they are to save the cost of replacing them when they move up the ladder, but this will frustrate the employee and usually lead to a drop in performance or a resignation letter. Reward employees’ growth by helping them to reach their desired career goals.

Many employees would rather leave than complain, so pay attention to early warning signs. Do not rely on employees to set their own workloads. It is the manager’s job to invest time in the employee to match their workload to their ability, drive, and personality. Find out what aspects of a project or of a client the employee enjoys working with, and seek out ways to maximize it for that employee. The investment is well worth it. Motivated employees who like their jobs will happily go to bat for their company to get the best results.

Change is difficult, and even top employees are reluctant to jump into a long job search process that may or may not pay off. A high performer will send many signs before they feel frustrated enough to start job-searching. Employee engagement takes an investment of time, thought, and resources. But the reward is that a manager who engages employees will have far better results to show than a manager who focuses on the results instead of on the people who produce them.