Professional certifications evoke love of learning

Pursuing a designation through NACM’s professional certification courses requires a dedication to advancing your knowledge of credit and committing time and effort towards your education. 

For Kathryn Linden, CBA, assistant market credit manager at Ferguson Enterprise (Maspeth, NY), the opportunity for continued education on the credit industry made the experience of earning her Credit Business Associate designation invaluable. While earning the designation, Linden honed her financial statement analysis skills and expanded on her understanding of business credit.

“It’s not so much about the designation, but the education that came with it,” Linden said. “And I really felt that I needed to take these courses to strengthen myself as a credit professional.” 

Designation seekers run the gamut of the working credit world, from those younger professionals looking to get their sea legs in the industry to those with decades-long careers looking to refine their skills. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, continued education can help polish your skills, gain confidence in your work and feed your passion for credit. 

“I feel fulfilled that I have earned my CBA designation,” Linden said. “The knowledge that I have gained through this process has helped me become a stronger and more effective credit manager.  I feel that I can contribute to my team & company in a more meaningful way.”

The knowledge and skills built over the course of the certification process helps streamline and improve your day-to-day work as a credit manager. “I really see a difference in the way I approach my work,” Linden said. “I stop and think more about the situation and dive a little deeper into each scenario before applying what I know.” 

📝Study Tip: “Time blocking was essential in order to have this be a very successful experience, organizing my time really took the pressure off and helped me finish the courses.”