Certifications

I'm relatively new to MS, and was wondering if getting a gold or silver certification would be worth the effort and cost. Will avail me to more lucrative and more numerous shops? Thanks in advance...and I apologize if this question has been asked and answered before (I didn't see it in the FAQs).

Best,
PaulInVa

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I appreciate you asking the question, I too have wondered if it helps. I have been silver certified since probably 2006 and was always curous about the higher levels.

The question is asked on a fairly regular basis. People disagree on whether it's worth it or not. I've been shopping full-time for over 6 years and it hasn't made a bit of difference. What matters is that you establish yourself as a reliable and trustworthy shopper and that takes time. Some people who are gold certified say that they did notice they were offered higher paying shops and others said they didn't notice any change at all. People who are silver certified don't generally report any difference in the number or quality of shops they are offered.

Personally, I wouldn't bother.

Thanks, all, for the responses. I think I'll wait a while for the certs.

Best,
PaulInVa

@jpgilham wrote:

People who are silver certified don't generally report any difference in the number or quality of shops they are offered.

I would have to disagree with this statement. I saw a significant difference and found it well worth the $20. At this point in my career though I would not at all consider getting gold.

I think, personally, that it makes the biggest difference the newer you are. There is at least one company that has an internal grading system. The higher your grade, the higher grade shops you can see. For that particular company certification gives you a higher internal grade. In my case I had only done a shop or two for the company before I got the certification. The day after I entered my certification I was able to see more than twice the number of shops I could see before.

Additionally there is at least one company that I work with sporadically that releases shops to silver and gold shoppers before others. I have actually gotten a shop several times in the past year that I didn't even realize they had before because it has always been taken before I could even see it. It's not a big shop, I think the fee on it is $10, but just that single shop has paid for my certification, which took 2 minutes at the most to get.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I jumped into the pool of trying to get the gold. If I pass, I'll let everyone know.

I couldn't get jobs last year if I didn't have the silver. I didn't get more offers.

Personally, I think doing the work correctly and on time is the best shot. I'm just crossing t's and dotting i's.

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning; the devil shudders...And yells OH #%*+! SHE'S AWAKE!

I agree with @bgriffin. I definitely saw better jobs immediately after getting Silver status.

Thanks guys.

Best,
PaulInVa

How much work does it take to get a Silver certification?

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

It took 2 minutes. My friends and family that don't MS could pass the test just from listening to things I've said.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I got my Silver certification about 9 months ago and have been very carefully watching the shops I am offered. I have seen no change at all except for one site that says they release the jobs to silvers and golds first. I was hoping it would open more opportunities for me but so far it has not happened.

Remington pays a bonus if you are gold certified for their apartment shops. I thinks its $5 but it is an extra $5 if you do happen to have that gold certification.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

I have no idea if it helps, since I don't have it.. just wanted to say that you can definitely still get a full amount of work without it.

YES, get your certificate, I've been at this for 8 years and it is worth the time and fee you will pay. not only will you get recognized first, the clients respect us with certificates, not to mention the bonus money I get EVERY month from certain companies I am loyal to. Stick with it and it will pan out.

I got silver certified in December. I have been offered some shops I wouldn't have been offered otherwise. It hasn't made a huge difference but I think it's worth the $20. There are some clients of MSCs that want certified shoppers for certain shops. MSCs will send out emails offering you shops once you become silver certified. The MSPA shares your contact info with the inquiring MSCs.

hello to all,
Where can I register for the mystery shop certification course? can someone please point me in the right direction. Thank you.

Go to the MSPA website.

I've been a MS for a few years and I have not seen anything or talked with anyone that convinced me it was worth it. To my knowledge it hasn't shown to make any difference.

I just passed my gold course. I do not know if I will get more jobs or higher pay. What I do know is I learned alot. The information from the DVD's has given me an understanding of the MSC's and what is expected of me. I knew I was doing my job well by my scores. The course taught me to do my job better, and how to be more professional.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2015 03:16PM by pdg.

@Pop wrote:

I've been a MS for a few years and I have not seen anything or talked with anyone that convinced me it was worth it. To my knowledge it hasn't shown to make any difference.

I seriously do not understand how someone who has not gotten certified can make a statement that have not seen where certification has made any difference. Of course it hasn't made a difference, you're not certified.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

As bgriffin said, I am not certified but I know and have talked with a number of MS's who say it has not helped.

And as a person who is certified it absolutely has helped.
Silver takes 5 minutes and $20. Seriously my family members who have heard me talk about MS could pass it easily. Just one single shop makes the fee back.*

*seriously I don't know why this annoys me so much. More shops for me if people don't get certified right?

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

@Pop wrote:

As bgriffin said, I am not certified but I know and have talked with a number of MS's who say it has not helped.

Well, you haven't been around here much because if you had been, you would have seen this subject raised *many* times and *many* people including myself have stated that they noticed an increase of opportunities after getting certified. But I'm with bgriffin on this one ... don't bother getting certified, it will just make more shops for those of us who are.

Time to build a bigger bridge.

Well this thread got my off my tush and I decided why not go silver. Took it a week ago, haven't updated all my companies yet, but I got a phone call offering me a bonus from a company that while I was signed up for, had never shopped. I can see higher paying shops on a few boards that I know weren't there before. It cost me more, as I'm Canadian, it's currently $25 USD for membership and to take the silver test. It was super easy and I think worth it for me.

On the MSPA site, I do not see where there is a link for the "Silver" certification, it only has a link for "BASICS: SHOPPER CERTIFICATION" for the cost of $25.00 and a link for the "Gold" certification.

I can only assume that the "Basics" certification is the same as the "Silver" certification.

Can anyone confirm this for me, or should I be looking for a link that specifically indicates "Silver" certification ?

That is silver.

I'm in the same boat as mimiford. I paid the $25 for the "basic" certification, but there is no certification code in my profile. How can I get my 'silver' certification code?

Did you take the test to get the certification? When you have passed it, the code is in your profile.

I got my silver certification as soon as I started mystery shopping. Is there a difference in the shops that shoppers get when they get the gold certification? I have been considering getting my gold certification, but didn't know if it would be worth the money that I would have to spend to get it.

There have been schedulers on here who said they give preference to gold shoppers.

I think the gold certification may be worth it for its value in making you a better, more confident shopper. I've had my DVDs for quite awhile but haven't had time to finish and do the test but that's on my priority list for after tax season ends.

Come to think of it, why am I not at my desk right now working on those 15 returns that are waiting for me? Sigh.... 24 more days till I get my life back.....

Time to build a bigger bridge.

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