Two Professional Certifications Technical Writers Should Consider Pursuing

Aug 29, 11 • technical writing • 2 Comments • Read More »

Learning is something that we should never stop doing. I’ve said this 1,000 times, but I will say it again. You can be on top of your game but if you don’t know the new and emerging ideas, technologies, and processes, then it doesn’t really matter. Since I was in my early twenties, I have always created a five-year life plan. While I was updating my career area, I have decided that in the next two years, I am going to get two certifications: APMP Accreditation and Certified Business Analysis Professional.

Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) Accreditation

This certification is good for Proposal Writers regardless of where you are in your career. There are three types of certifications that you can take: Foundation, Practitioner, and Professional. Below are the descriptions of each:

Assessment and Required Experience
Level	Required Experience	Assessment Test	Assessment Format
Foundation	1 year	Basic Knowledge of Best Practice	Multiple Choice Examination
Practitioner	3 years	Application of Best Practice	Assessment of Documented Experience Record
Professional	7+ years	Advocacy for Best Practice	Assessment of Impact, Presentation, and Competency Based Interview

Awhile ago, I bought the Shipley Proposal Process book, and I’ve been studying it. I have to do more research, but taking a prep course wouldn’t hurt.

Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)

I’ve been working as a Business Analyst for over five years. It’s a career path that just happened. Technical writing and business analysis are two fields that usually cross paths, so you tend to see a Technical Writer doing business analysis work, and vice versa. Therefore, I have decided to pursue this certification as well. I’m fortunate that my company offers the courses and related books as part of my benefits package. Also, they pay for you to take the certification exam. In order to get the CBAP, you need five or more years of professional experience as a Business Analyst. However, there is another certification, Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA) Designation, that is also offered.

If you work for a company, ask Human Resources to see if they have any career development programs that will take care of some of the fees for you. I’m also going to join the two professional associations, and my company will be paying for those as well. The worst they can say is “No.”

What are some certifications and/or courses that writers should consider taking?