MSPA Certifications

MSPA Certifications. Have they been proven to be worth the cost, like does it open up more opportunities or is it just a money grab?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2022 04:21PM by weaver737.

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Like all certifications, it is up to the shopper to make MSCs and schedulers aware of their enhanced qualifications. You actually will learn something of value, if that is your question.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I got the silver years ago. They have apparently been changing their system for a while and it is called something else now. Although it is supposed to be the same, some of the companies on their own platform don't seem to recognize the older certifications. However, if asked, I always mention that I have the certification. I have looked several times at the various others, but haven't been inclined to shell out the time and dollars yet for the prerequisite courses in the middle. I felt like the silver was worth it, but depending on your background, I am not sure of the various required others. Somebody who has been through them all might have feedback, and I'd be interested to hear. I was looking at the various certification courses just the other day. If you are new to mystery shopping, I do believe that it would be worth it to take at least the one and maybe more.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2022 02:18AM by GinnyLynn.

1. No
2. No
3. Yes

I paid a bit to try to get a casino hotel job and I didn’t get the job.

Most of the sites want your Gold or Silver certificates but they don’t give those any more. It’s all a La carte.

So it was a complete waste.

They were incredibly easy too. I didn’t learn much. Ipsos has better training videos.

I agree with the Wolfman.

I got the Silver certification way back in 2005. Like @Ginny above mentioned, many of the web sites of the MSCs are unable to accept the older certification numbers/letters now, for some reason. I never really felt like it hindered or helped in any way. Back then, it was only $15.00, IIRC.

I never bothered and I've been mystery shopping since 2005. I'm more of a sink-or-swim kind of person who prefers to learn by doing, so never had the inclination to take any courses or get certified, specially knowing that you can get lots of work as a shopper without certification.

Like others, I got the silver certification years ago - can't say that it did anything more for me than I got simply by applying for jobs and gaining experience. Save your money - I can't imagine any scheduler saying "Oh, look, this shopper paid for an easy-peasy MSPA online certification - he/she will go right to the top of my assignment list!

In my opinion, it's just a cash source for MSPA - can't hurt, won't help. I'd skip it.

I’ve been Gold for years and wanted to take a hotel certification to add to my arsenal, but they told me my Gold certification didn’t matter and I still needed to buy basic core training courses. Simply doesn’t make sense especially for those of us that have been in the game for a long time — 15 yrs! You’d be better off building relationships with schedulers and doing high quality work following independent MSP expectations and client guidelines. Kinda disheartening to even have to type that…

That is kind of where I am Philcobizzle, I had gone back a couple times thinking about some of the specific certifications as well. I have the Silver, but then you are hit with all the in between certifications that take time and money, along with the note that they do not take life experience on these things. If I could have taken the one I wanted at the time, I would have jumped on it, but thinking about the time and money to get to the point where I could take the ones I wanted, I just passed, definitely disheartened as well. I don't have a boat load of extra time or money either one, and the note about the Gold being updated has been there so long you start to wonder. I had been thinking real hard about the thing in Pittsburgh next June. I had hoped it would be of value, but others may have feedback on such.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/2022 02:34AM by GinnyLynn.

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