Earning Your CBAP Certification
Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) is the business analysis certification provided by IIBA. CBAP is the world’s most recognized certification for business analysis. The mission of IIBA (the certification body of CBAP) is to develop and maintain standards for the practice of business analysis and the certification of its practitioners.
This is one title that is known to be a professional certification plus the registered trademark from the International Institute of Business Analysis, abbreviated as IIBA.
What Is the Value of CBAP Certification?
You have also seen the data from the IIBA Salary survey. Now, let me provide three key benefits of this certification to summarise:
1. CBAP Certification provides credibility to your BA profile:
CBAP Certification has gained high credibility amongst employers and the business analyst community. The thoroughness and depth of knowledge required to clear this CBAP exam have added to its respect.
By obtaining this certification, you added credibility to your profile.
2. Earn a higher salary than non-certified professionals:
Data from Payscale and the IIBA salary survey indicate that CBAP Certified professionals earn higher than non-certified professionals. The credibility of CBAP certification and IIBA are the primary reasons for this.
3. Gain more confidence and be ready for a better professional career:
General Business Analysts with 6–10 years of experience seem uncertain about their future.
Most employers prefer domain or functional Business Analysts as Senior BAs. The demand for General BAs reduces, making it more competitive.
A CBAP certification helps you get preference and provides you with better opportunities. It is a definite confidence booster and prepares you better for the future.
How to Pursue CBAP Certification?
To qualify for the CBAP certification exam, applicants must first do the following:
- The applicant must have at least ten years of work experience in a BA, including a minimum of 7,500 verifiable hours within these ten years.
- Within the more than 7,500 hours of experience, the applicant must have at least 900 hours in 4 of the 6 BABoK Guide Knowledge Areas.
- The applicant must have earned at least 35 hours of professional development in BA-related areas within the last four years.
- The applicant must have at least two professional references from another CBAP recipient, a career manager, or a client.
- Successful candidates must sign and abide by the IIBA and CBAP Code of Ethics.
- The applicant must agree to IIBA and CBAP terms and conditions.
Career Benefits of Taking CBAP Certification
There are many benefits that candidates can get from a CBAP certification. Some of the main ones are as follows:
- Broader Point of View: The CBAP course teaches several techniques and approaches for solving problems, including thinking out of and inside the box.
- Globally Recognized for Provable Knowledge: A CBAP Certified individual does not need much proof besides the certification to demonstrate that they have the knowledge and skills to be a competent business analyst.
- Become a Member in a Reputable Professional Group: It is essential for networking, as a resource base for cracking and helping to address challenges, and for global recognition by other peers in the industry.
- Commitment to the Industry: Individuals that hold a CBAP certificate are identified as committing to the business analysis career path. As such, they have a lot of credibility with employers in the IT and business community.
- Speak the Language of a Business Analyst: With CBAP training and certification, you become adept and expressive at simply sharing complex business analysis concepts so that other professionals and non-professionals in an organization can easily understand. As such, a business analyst’s currency in an organization is greatly improved.
- Career Advancement and a Salary Bump: With CBAP certification, an individual can quickly get a salary to grow not just because they have more knowledge and experience but also because they will work on critical organization projects and programs.
- Job Satisfaction: Individuals with a CBAP certification grow happier because they have the tools and confidence to perform all their duties with the expected skill, understanding, and professionalism. This translates into high job satisfaction levels among IIBA CBAP Certified professionals.
Summary
Sit for the exam and do your best. If you do not pass the exam the first time, you can schedule a second exam within one calendar year of your application approval.
Take a few days and celebrate your CBAP success. You have earned it! Stay involved in the profession and your professional development.
