The CPSM Exam: What's all the Hoopla?

hoop-la [hoop-lah]
-noun Informal
1. bustling excitement or activity; commotion; hullabaloo; to-do; ballyhoo

Perhaps your co-workers are planning to take their CPSM Exam. Maybe your manager is asking you to make obtaining your CPSM your newest objective. Certainly, procurement literature is chock full of information on obtaining the newest and most prestigious professional certification offered by the Institute for Supply Management. But is it right for you? Is it really necessary in your career?

Consider the following:

• The Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM®) qualification is designed to lead the profession by emphasizing the major components of supply management.
  
• Endorsed by business leaders and thought-leaders across the globe, the knowledge, skills and abilities represented in the CPSM reflect the expanded education, skills and experience needed to excel in strategic supply management.
  
• Demand for strategic supply professionals is on the rise.
• Since the early 1990s, the profession has witnessed a growing focus on accomplishing strategic goals related to cost and value.
• In order to be professionally competitive, supply managers must acquire the necessary strategic skills that add value and enable effective alignment with key business functions at the senior management level.
• Organizations have communicated to ISM that they value the C.P.M. as evidence of a solid baseline of purchasing knowledge.
• The CPSM® qualification will also recognize individual competencies in the broader area of supply management.
• The CPSM® will emphasize major segments of the supply management profession; holders of the qualification will attain a greater understanding of their organization's supply network and have the skills to make more accurate and profitable decisions.
• The CPSM® qualification will enable professionals to gain a clear understanding of their organization's supply operation and enable managers to take an active role in critical decisions.
• Current evolution of the procurement profession dictates that a strategic level qualification is needed for professionals to effectively implement innovative supply strategies throughout their entire organization.
• The CPSM® will be a milestone for those professionals who take ownership of their careers.
• Surveys indicate those with professional designations report higher annual compensation than those without certification.
• Pursuing your CPSM® qualification is your chance to leverage your knowledge and experience into career advancement.
  

Source: CPSM® EXAM INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION

Why are you considering taking the CPSM exam? Already have your CPSM - why did you pursue that distinction?