Does MSPA certification really make a difference?

I haven't signed up for it and I'm not sure what it is worth to me. So far there has only been a couple of minor shops that I did not receive when requested.

Do you have access to more shops on the job boards--jobs the rest of us can't see. Since I specialize in remote areas, I could work 24/7 and still not meet demand. The only thing I would like that I don't see much of would be the casual restaurants such as Olive Garden, Claim Jumper, Red Lobster, Mimi's, Black Angus, etc. But I don't even know if they are shopped so I don't know if it is because I haven't found the right MSC yet or because I'm not certified or because they don't have such a program.

Besides better shops, what are the other real benefits of membership/certification?

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More About Certification

No MSC has ever told me I need certification to get one of their shops.

I did break down and get the silver several months ago. There is a difference in the amount of shops I see. Without it, I didn't see any shops with some MSC's. When I plugged in the certification #, suddenly I had a screen full of shops. This was only with certain MSC's though. I have no idea what would be the difference if I went to gold, however, in my area, there are such slim pickings, I don't know if I would bother to go gold. You also get access to the job board, but I think you could use job slinger, indeed, or the postings here just as effectively. It's a crap shoot, most MSC's do ask for it on their applications.

No difference. Schedulers are more interested in your track record of reliability & evaluation scores in my experience.

I have Silver but not Gold. I have a two uncertified family members who also shop. All three of us see exactly the same shops. There is not a second tier of shops that I see and they do not. There are three shops I can think of that, although all 3 of us can see the jobs posted, require Silver or Gold certification. Not sure why, as these 3 (all for the same MSC) are not great shops and do not have great pay. I rarely choose to do them.

Gold may make a difference but I feel pretty sure that a shopper with Silver certification sees the same job opportunities as an uncertified shopper.

I am silver certified and have certainly not noticed a difference but I did read once that someone on here said that gold certification made a difference. I do know that there is one company that pays slightly more if you're gold certified.

I had done 600 shops before I even got certified. Do I see any difference? Not really.

It is true that your track record and dependability are far more important than a colorful certification.

I am Silver certified and think your track record with a company is what makes the difference. I still would like to be Gold,
but not spending the $$. I think it may help for some high end jobs, but again, reliability and good work make up for certification in most case's.

Live consciously....

Same here, Irene.

I am silver certified. But, I am also fairly new. I do think it helped me get my foot in the door, because once I added the silver certification some sites suddenly had jobs where there were none before. I think if you are already a dependable, known shopper, it probably doesn't matter as much.

I am gold, and I don't regret it at all. It has paid for itself many times over. No, I didn't need it, because I knew how to write narratives. However, it can get your foot in the door with some companies.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2013 10:07PM by audrialyn30.

I am gold certified since 2009 and it paid for itself as well since I think I am getting more shops.

It made a difference to me.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

not to me.....

I'm silver and have more offers than I can handle. Location is probably also a factor.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

SunnyDays2 Wrote:
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> ...It is true that your track record and
> dependability are far more important than a
> colorful certification.

Absolutely true.

While a few MSPs send first notifications to gold and then silver certified shoppers, I don't think the majority of companies care one way or the other.

Build your track record. Make yourself memorable (but only in a good way) to your schedulers. (Schedulers have an uncanny long term memory for shoppers that have screwed them in the past)

Be reliable, take every job seriously, follow instructions, never flake, and cancel rarely (and then only with an excellent reason and well ahead of the shop date if possible).

Joan Gingras
Senior Project Director~BarStoolie Mystery Shopping

Barstoolie@insideevaluators.com

I'm glad this came up, as I was wondering the same thing. There is also another certification from another company, I believe I may have seen it in a thread here also.

Is it any better?

The only legitimate certifications I have heard about are either through MSPA or video certification originally through Undercover Essentials and now being offered by another group.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

I received more offers as soon as I began to enter my silver code, but when I entered my gold code I immediately saw higher paying, more interesting jobs, even though I had already established a track record.

What I would like to compare is the difference between the online certification and the in-person one that I did. Are they the same?

*********************
I'm "Sandi" in the Middle!

As a rule of thumb anytime a businessperson or salesperson hands you their card and it has certifications and designations you should see a red flag right away and know it may be time to put on your boots. I am quite sure the MSC's are smart enough to know that any designation or certification that can be obtained and bought my mail or over the internet is worth slightly less then a wooden nickel.

Certification was worth it's weight in USD for me. Only my Jag has brought in more work that the MSPA certs.

~
up, up, down, down, left, right,left,right, B,A, start.

What about MSPA europe? I got their basic certificate from the officiAl site and...none of the Msp companies accepts that. Oh well... Anyone else with the same problem?

Certification may help initially for new shoppers, and maybe for shoppers new to a particular MSC. Generally though, your experience and track record speak for themselves. Schedulers love proven, reliable shoppers they can count on with zero flake-outs.

I'm glad this discussion is here. I'd been cogitatin' on gettin' certified....I guess I'll keep chewin' on it for a while.

cease

Careful with that cogitatin', ceasesmith. Mom always told me it caused blindness, and grew hair on your palms. Neither happened, although I did develop a much larger bicep on my right arm than on my left. If you have ever seen a stone crab (in the wild, not just the claw on a plate,) you know the look. Guess that's the price for not cheating on righty...

ceasesmith Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm glad this discussion is here. I'd been
> cogitatin' on gettin' certified....I guess I'll
> keep chewin' on it for a while.
>
>

>
> cease

I will let you know. There is a fine dining shop with one of them that I am NOT able to get. No matter what I do. I was finally told by someone that the company gives preference to certified shoppers. So, I went and got the silver (I have been doing this for a while and have months from $300-$800 so not suffering by any means without it) and applied for the shop when it appeared. I will let you know if it works....

007Bunny tell them you have a college degree. over 50 companies and I've never been asked to show a diploma.

~
up, up, down, down, left, right,left,right, B,A, start.

Inside Evaluators Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Build your track record. Make yourself memorable
> (but only in a good way) to your schedulers.
> (Schedulers have an uncanny long term memory for
> shoppers that have screwed them in the past)

And, vice versa. Shoppers have memories like elephants when screwed by an MSC/scheduler

Michael C Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 007Bunny tell them you have a college degree.
> over 50 companies and I've never been asked to
> show a diploma.

I have a grad school degree. So that is covered. And it is a higher end one (the reimbursement is $250) so I am guessing every college educated, income qualified, shopper is applying. And, I figured for $20 it was not a big deal. So, if it works, it works. If not, I will probably never know. And, if I apply every time the shop appears, I will eventually have to get it, LOL

It is never right to falisify your credentials to an MS company. People who lie about that might be seen as also willing to falsify information on their reports too.

I have never paid the MSPA for certification and have done over 30,000 shops in the 20 years I've been doing this. I have also done some very high paying assignments over the years and found that a good reputation and solid work record with the MS company carries more weight than a piece of paper one buys from the MSPA.

Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain

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