The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®) is the premier organizing body for the Business Analysis profession. Their Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) certification is regarded as the “gold standard” and the highest achievement for business analysts.
The requirements to sit this exam are substantial – for a reason. The IIBA® wants the certification to mean something. The qualifications for the exam are not in the scope of this blog, though, so if you want to understand what criteria you need to meet before you can qualify to take the exam, visit the IIBA®’s certification page.
This blog spells out the numerous benefits of obtaining the CBAP® certification. There are more benefits than listed here, but the benefits laid out below offer a pretty compelling case for going for it.
1. Can help increase your salary.*
Who doesn’t want to make more money? While becoming certified as a CBAP® does not automatically get you a pay bump, it can go a long way in negotiating a higher salary or moving on to another company.
* According to the IIBA, “Research confirms certification increases your earning power.”
2. Validates your professional skills and knowledge
The CBAP® exam is NOT easy. If you are aware of the PMP® from the PMI®, it’s an extremely difficult and rigorous certification to earn. The CBAP® is easily its equivalent in terms of difficulty, and depth of knowledge and experience required.
Earning this certification proves that you have the tools and information you need to be successful as a Business Analyst.
3. Provides you with a common language to speak with other businesses analysts
This is one of the most valuable benefits of the CBAP®, from my perspective. While the profession of Business Analysis was evolving, the vocabulary and expectations varied widely from company to company. With the BABOK® as our Business Analysis “Bible”, we now all have a common vernacular and understanding.
4. Shows your commitment to business analysis as a profession
If you are treating Business Analysis as just a “job”, then this probably isn’t the right career for you. By earning this certification, you demonstrate that you’re not just in it for the paycheck; you care about your profession and want to continue to grow in it.
5. Increases your confidence in yourself as a Business Analyst
A lot of Business Analysts “come up” through an organization and become Business Analysts without really knowing what they’re doing. They can “intuit” some of it, but without the formalization of something like a certification, they can feel imposter syndrome.
When you earn the CBAP® designation, you will also gain confidence in your own business analysis abilities. You will realize that you have been a BA far longer than you imagined, and much of what you did intuitively is a formal business analysis technique. No more “imposter syndrome” – you are the REAL DEAL!
6. Distinguishes you amongst your peers
Do you want to stand out amongst a crowd? Is there a lot of competition for promotions at your organization? Are you one of many business analysts in a pool of analysts who get allocated as projects are approved? Become a CBAP®. You will:
- Stand out
- Have a sense of authority that the other BAs don’t have
- Be the most requested and distinguished of your group
7. Provides you with the opportunity to broaden your knowledge
If you are not certified and think you know everything to know about Business Analysis – you do not. Studying to take the CBAP® certification exam was very eye-opening for me. I realized that there were so many things I did not know before preparing to take the test.
By committing to earning this certification, you will learn more than you thought possible. You will add new knowledge and tools to your toolbox. You will become respected and a “go-to” resource for your peers.
8. Shows that you’re always looking for ways to improve yourself
Do you know anyone who is so comfortable with their job, and the status quo, that they don’t seek to improve? I’ve met many people who are content with “where they are” and they have no desire to seek opportunities for improvement.
By seeking the CBAP® certification, you demonstrate that you are constantly seeking to improve yourself. You perform your own “lessons learned” and identify improvements. You seek to grow and not remain stagnant. These are the types of people that will be in demand in years to come.
9. Improves your marketability
If you don’t think that certification improves your marketability (and your credibility), you’re out of your mind. Sorry. It’s true. People with fancy letters after their name automatically (even if it’s a cognitive bias) garner immediate attention. By being in the ranks of those who have earned the CBAP® designation, you are among the elite.
10. Increases your market value compared to those without it
If you are looking to land a new job, a certification will help you stand out compared to the competition. Many companies that advertise Business Analyst jobs prefer (or even require) the CBAP® certification to even be considered for the position. To use an old-fashioned term, it helps “separate the wheat from the chaff”. By having this certification, you are inherently more valuable than those without it.
11. Your organization may require certification
As a consultant, much to my surprise, I have discovered that some companies require their Business Analysts to either already have the CBAP® or be willing to earn it within a certain amount of time after being hired. The difficulty with this is that the IIBA® has stringent experience requirements to sit the CBAP® exam. So, if you don’t have enough experience, it could be very difficult to get this certification. My advice for those with less experience is to negotiate acceptance of a lower-lever certification until you have enough hours of experience per knowledge area to sit for the CBAP®.
12. Helps you to identify your areas of strength and weakness
The ugly truth is that the CBAP® is a difficult exam. I have known BAs who failed it the first time and never tried again. When I took the exam, there was no explanation of how well I performed in each knowledge area of the BABOK®. However, since I took the exam, I have been told that the IIBA® now reports your results per knowledge area, which allows you to identify areas where you are weak, and where you are strong.
I know my Business Analysis weaknesses and don’t need an exam to tell me that I am not strong in Strategy Analysis. There is a good reason for that – I simply have not had many opportunities to work as a Business Analyst at that level. And that’s OK. No one is good at everything.
But if you failed and want to retake the exam, this information will help guide your studies so you will be successful the second time. And if you did fail the first time – it’s OK! It was a learning opportunity! Take the information, use it, and take the exam again – you will pass!
13. Adds new tools and techniques to your BA toolbox
When I started my CBAP® journey, I was a bit arrogant and thought that I knew almost everything there was to know about Business Analysis. However, when I cracked open the BABOK® and started reading, I discovered that this was far from true. In fact, I learned that there were many more techniques available to leverage than I ever thought possible.
By studying for the CBAP®, I was able to add copious additional tools and techniques to my Business Analysis toolbox. I can’t imagine that I am the only one to discover this.
14. Provides you with an incentive to continue your learning
I am always on a quest to learn new things, but not everyone is that way. If the latter describes you, then earning the CBAP® will incentivize you to continue your education. As a CBAP® designee, you need to renew your certification every three years. To do so, you must earn 60 CDUs (Continuous Development Units) to qualify you for renewal.
Having the growth mindset that I do, I haven’t ever struggled with this, but if you aren’t naturally on a continual learning quest, this will give you a little push to keep up with the times so you can maintain your hard-earned certification.
15. Could lead to a promotion or senior positions
Do you think having the CBAP® won’t help you get promoted? Think again. At my company, Skyline Technologies, for an analyst to even be considered for promotion to a senior II level, the CBAP® is required. Many organizations are like this. If you want to move up the ladder, the CBAP® could be your ticket.
16. Supports your lifelong Business Analysis career progression
The IIBA® has laid out many possible career paths for Business Analysts. By earning your CBAP®, you will ensure that you are on a continual path of progression. You won’t get stuck. You’ll always have something ahead of you.
17. Increases your professional reputation
When you become a CBAP®, you join the ranks of the Business Analysis elite. You can download a digital badge from the IIBA® and share it on LinkedIn. There are also LinkedIn groups established just for those with the CBAP® designation. You can also proudly add your credential to your email signature.
If these are not enough reasons for you to consider becoming a CBAP®, then I don’t know what it would take to convince you. All I can say, in closing, is that going for and earning the CBAP® was a very worthwhile achievement for me.
Are you ready?
So, are you ready to start your journey toward CBAP® certification, or have you decided that it’s not worth the effort? If you are ready, what is your action plan for achieving this goal? Would you like any advice on preparing to take the exam? Comment below and let me know!
These are all excellent benefits of taking the CBAP certification. I can attest to the fact that it helps overcome the ever nagging ‘Imposter Syndrome’. Preparing for, and passing the examination helped me validate my knowledge, giving me the confidence to share my business analysis knowledge.
Thank you for responding to my blog post, Eniola. I feel exactly the same way. Having the CBAP is one of the best things I ever did to validate my knowledge, improve my skills, and become a more valuable Business Analyst.