ASIS Certifications

[cbaxter]

I know this is a ongoing topic in most forums about the value of certifications from ASIS and other organizations.

Someone has posted that they are used by HR and headhunters as a vetting tool and that may be, but IMHO the value is deeper then that.

No matter what the certification is it serves two purposes; 1) to show a level of knowledge and understanding in a paticular area and 2) as a networking and marketing tool.

When you get a certification (CPP,PSP,PCI, EMT,CPO,CFE,ect..) you are joining a professional fraternity and that is where the value really is.

I'm sure there are many good accountants who for whatever reason are not CPA's. How do we think those accountants are looked at both by possible clients and peers?

The only issue I have with certificaitons is when professionals list more then two after their name. You are only suppose to list the two (at most) that is predominate to the profession.

The exception might be ASIS because they offer 3, but I would only use that as a signature line to a predominately ASIS audience.

For securtiy management the best bang for your buck is the CPP.

After being in the security field for almost 10 years I am finally studying for the CPP exam only after going the the conference last year and seeing first hand what kind of members make up ASIS and those that are CPP certified.

[ThrilloftheVO]

You perfectly summarized the reasons why I got my CPP.

I have two certifications now and will probably go for more over the next few years, although I will probably be one of those conceited jerks who lists all of them after his name on every email. :D

[cbaxter]

I guess the question you have to ask is what value will a certain certificaiton bring you if you already have CPP?

[ThrilloftheVO]

Well, the CPP is a generalist certification, not a specialist one. You have to know a little bit about a lot of stuff, basically.

Right now, I'm at a fork in my career and have two real options:

1. Stay in Guard Force Management- I'll probably work on the CPO and go on to the CPOI to train and develop my guards better.

2. Go back into fraud investigations/corporate LP- My other current certification is Certified in the Reid Technique (CRT); more info here: http://www.reid.com/reid_institute/r_certification.html. If I go this route, I'll probably look into earning the PCI or CFE (preferably the latter).

It really depends on where I end up next, but the CPP is not the end all be all of my career (even though it is a great achievement for anyone to finish). I'll want to be able to demonstrate specialized knowledge and competence in my chosen work in addition to the broad knowledge that a CPP has.

[cmndr]

I know this is an old thread, but I didn't want to start a new one in the same subject. Certifications of any kind are not "worthless" as I saw someone posted in another thread about ASIS certifications. If you come away having learned something new, then as far as I am concerned, it was a worthwhile endeavor.

I have just completed the most gruelling year of my life in terms of writing exams. In July 2008 I wrote and passed the CPP. In November 2008 I wrote and passed the PCI. Then exactly one year to the day of writing my CPP, I wrote and passed the PSP exam. I am now one of only 2 in Canada to have all three ASIS certifications. (The first person to get all three in Canada wrote his PSP exam 1.5 weeks before me - we're both in the same Toronto ASIS Chapter).

I also wrote and passed my CHPA exam in June this year at the IAHSS AGM in Baltimore.

In every single program, I learned something new and also learned to look at things that I already knew in a different context. To me, that made the efforts very worthwhile.

I also did this to prove to myself that I could, and to set the example for my staff that continuing education is a NECESSITY in life and if you want to get ahead in your career, you need to take OWNERSHIP of it. No one will hand you anything - you need to achieve it yourself. I'm not stopping there either. In November I will write my CFE exam, while continuing my courses for my MBA.

I guess the point I'm really trying to make is this, if you want to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd in our profession, you really need to decide how you will accomplish your goals then just do it. Do your research into the path that will work best for you to achieve your career goals, then do it. Don't let anything or anyone get in the way of achieving your goals - but it is ultimately up to you to get there. As an HR professional and Corporate trainer, I hear all kinds of excuses about why people can't seem to get ahead in this profession, and the common thread through all of them is that they don't have clearly defined goals or the discipline to achieve them.

[Silva Consultants]

cmndr,

Congratulations on your accomplishments! You are going to run out of space on your business cards to put all the letters following your name...:)

Keep up the good work!

[john_harrington]

I know this is an old thread, but I didn't want to start a new one in the same subject. Certifications of any kind are not "worthless" as I saw someone posted in another thread about ASIS certifications. If you come away having learned something new, then as far as I am concerned, it was a worthwhile endeavor.

I have just completed the most gruelling year of my life in terms of writing exams. In July 2008 I wrote and passed the CPP. In November 2008 I wrote and passed the PCI. Then exactly one year to the day of writing my CPP, I wrote and passed the PSP exam. I am now one of only 2 in Canada to have all three ASIS certifications. (The first person to get all three in Canada wrote his PSP exam 1.5 weeks before me - we're both in the same Toronto ASIS Chapter).

I also wrote and passed my CHPA exam in June this year at the IAHSS AGM in Baltimore.

In every single program, I learned something new and also learned to look at things that I already knew in a different context. To me, that made the efforts very worthwhile.

I also did this to prove to myself that I could, and to set the example for my staff that continuing education is a NECESSITY in life and if you want to get ahead in your career, you need to take OWNERSHIP of it. No one will hand you anything - you need to achieve it yourself. I'm not stopping there either. In November I will write my CFE exam, while continuing my courses for my MBA.

I guess the point I'm really trying to make is this, if you want to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd in our profession, you really need to decide how you will accomplish your goals then just do it. Do your research into the path that will work best for you to achieve your career goals, then do it. Don't let anything or anyone get in the way of achieving your goals - but it is ultimately up to you to get there. As an HR professional and Corporate trainer, I hear all kinds of excuses about why people can't seem to get ahead in this profession, and the common thread through all of them is that they don't have clearly defined goals or the discipline to achieve them.

I too applaud your hard work. I agree that you will learn things through reading the books and by studying- it sounds like you did. However, you did not need to take the tests to learn those things.

Continuing education is a necessity but earning designations is not. Professionally I may be pushed into pursuing a designation but the letters at the end of my name will not make me better at what I do.

Please understand that I am not trying to knock your decision to take the exams you did, we just have different perpectives.

[Sierra 1]

Like most who have responded to this post, I also applaud those who have taken the time and effort to study /prepare and earn their CPP certification.

I am a member of ASIS and spent my time as a chapter chair. However, I do not value the "certification" as much as others. I have met and worked around those with a CPP cert and have discovered that much like any certification, it is just a "certification" or piece of paper (with a lapel pin and the "right" to place a 3 letter title at the end of your name).

I will value a security professional's experience (guard force management, budgeting, procurement, finance, investigations, knowledge of current law/regulations, and overall leadership ability) and education over a CPP any day. Several issues that I have with ASIS and their certifications include: (1) cost; (2) required level of experience; and (3) broad scope of the material that in my opinion, can be considered outdated.

I manage and have continuous interaction with one very large security provider/contractor on a daily basis. This company requires their managers to earn the CPP. It has provided little if any enhancement in their ability to successfully manage their operations (based on my experience with both sides of this organization).

I have also discovered that the certification does not hold as much "weight" (if any) in certain security disciplines. If anything, it is used as an HR tool to limit the number of resumes and applicants.

Again, I applaud those who have spent a large amount of money for the "study" material, prepared, and successfully earned their CPP. But in my opinion, experience and education are much more important.