SCMP, three years later – what difference has it made?
Simon Cavendish (né Monger), SCMP
**Available now** | FTSE 100, FTSE 250, Big 4 | Helping you shape inspirational organisations through purposeful communication | Internal Communication + Change Communication Consultant | Vice Chair, IABC EMENA
In 2020, I sat the senior-level Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP?) certification exam, run by the Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC?) in association with the International Association of Business Communicators ( IABC ).
The SCMP?, as explained on the GCCC? website, is ‘for highly-skilled business communicators practiced in providing strategic communication advice and counselling to an organisation’s leadership’.
There is also a Communication Management Professional (CMP?) certification ‘for generalist, specialist and other business communicators established in their careers as managers and looking to demonstrate their competence.’
I found the whole process hugely rewarding, and was proud to be one of the very first people to achieve the SCMP? in the UK. (Shout out to Andrew Morrison , SCMP?, who achieved the same accolade on the same day, in a rainy London Regent Street office in December!)
But what difference has it actually made to my working life, and to me as a person?
At the time, I took the exam simply because I wanted letters after my name. Vanity? Perhaps. But I wanted some form of recognition, and was conscious that my generic English degree didn’t really cut it.
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It’s proven to be more valuable than I could have imagined.
As an internal communication and change consultant, I’m regularly having to market myself to potential clients. I can say with confidence – and concrete evidence – that having the SCMP? has won me work, especially when combined with my Presidency of the UK & Ireland chapter of the IABC.
Having those letters after my name has also brought speaking opportunities, and invited people to send me a message on LinkedIn or by email.
At IABC, we talk a lot about communications excellence – indeed, it was the topic of our AGM back in June. The GCCC certifications are a badge of excellence, recognised around the world.
If you’re an IABC member, you receive a substantial discount on the cost of applying for the certification – more or less equivalent to the cost of a year’s membership. So if you’re considering either certification, you might like to sign up with IABC first, so you can add the benefit of membership for no extra cost.
If you’d like to know more about the GCCC, CMP, or SCMP certifications, do feel free to drop me a question or comment. I’d be happy to help.
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Strategic Communications Consultant | Content Architect | Trainer --- Helping businesses manage content, communication, and information sustainability
6 个月Thanks for the insight Simon Monger, SCMP. I'm considering getting a SCMP certification and you've helped tip the scales a bit more toward pursing. ??
Award-winning communications leader & stakeholder relations professional | non-executive director (apprentice)
8 个月I’ve stumbled across this post this evening after my interest in the SCMP was piqued. Thanks for the insightful write up and I’ll consider it some more.
Communications director | Team builder | Creative strategist | Pun professional | Service-driven: reliability, responsiveness, relationships
10 个月Simon, I was just saying to Victoria Dew, SCMP? today that I felt pressure to have some letters behind my name (partially because my work is with a lot of auditors who all have various accreditation they require). She definitely encouraged me to look into it and this bit of insight from you was additionally encouraging! Thanks for your perspective!
Operational Communications Executive @ Capita | Advertising & Marketing
11 个月I find this piece very insightful because i was beginning to wonder whether the CMP and SCMP are popular and as recognised in the UK as they appear to be in Canada. I looked up the registry of CMP and noticed 7 in 10 persons on the list are practising and living in Canada. I am planning on taking the CMP and just needed the motivation to do so.
Valuable insights; thanks for sharing your perspective and about your personal journey Simon ??