Earning designation boosts confidence and career 

When it comes to earning a designation through one of NACM and FCIB’s six Professional Certification Programs, no two journeys look the same. For Andrea Marquez, CBA, credit associate at Viterra USA (Omaha, NE), the journey to earning her Credit Business Associate (CBA) degree coincided with her going back to school to earn her master’s degree. Juggling a heavy course load may have been difficult, but Marquez was determined to earn her designation and advance her career.  

“Studying for the CBA was a great way to get back into that school mentality,” Marquez said. “Time management was essential for me to finish the course and my schoolwork as a first-year grad student. The exam was also around the time my finals were due. That was stressful, but I made it happen!” 

While everyone’s journey may look different, they are united by the common force pushing them ahead and the desire to further their education and deepen their knowledge of business credit. “I wanted to earn the designation to help advance my career,” said Marquez. “I wanted to expand my knowledge to understand our industry better. I believe continued education is important and we should never stop learning.” 

Professional certification classes offer even experienced credit managers an opportunity to learn more about credit. A designation is more than just a sign of continued education, but a confidence and career boost that reflects your dedication to improving yourself in the business credit world.  

“My prior knowledge made the exam a little easier and I felt more confident,” Marquez said. “I knew I was good at managing several things at once, but this really put me to the test when it lined up with school deadlines and a trip to Arizona I had booked since last year. This experience proved that I can really do anything I set my mind to. I ended by school term with A’s and passed the CBA exam!” 

Study Tip: “Give yourself enough time to study and review the content, I would focus on the chapters where my scores for my quizzes were lower,” Marquez said. “I set small goals for myself about two months before I took the exam to review a chapter or two every week. I took the practice exam several times, which was very helpful!”