Summer’s here and AMADC activities will be slowing down. This could be the perfect time for you to take the plunge and become a Professional Certified Marketer. With a certification, you’ll prove to employers you have the modern skills to manage today’s marketing challenges.
Summer’s here and AMADC activities will be slowing down. This could be the perfect time for you to take the plunge and become a Professional Certified Marketer. With a certification, you’ll prove to employers you have the modern skills to manage today’s marketing challenges.
You’ll receive the AMA PCM® designation, which you can display on your social media pages.
“PCM is a self-paced, affordable way to measure and demonstrate critical skills in the marketing profession,” says Christopher Bartone, Director of Digital Content, American Marketing Association.
Up-To-Date Skills from Real-World Practitioners
Studying for the certification is also a great way to fill holes in your background.
Intimidated by SEO optimization or formulating an editorial calendar? Here’s your chance: master the course work for the Content Marketing track.
Missing some of the more traditional marketing foundations that might be taught in business school? The Marketing Management track materials will help you fill these gaps.
AMA works with a wide range of subject matter experts to develop and maintain the preparation resources for each track to ensure accuracy and relevance to today’s workplace. The certification exams are also written, reviewed and updated as needed.
How It Works
The PCM certification is available in 4 different tracks (see more on the various tracks below). The American Marketing Association offers online materials to help you prepare.
When you’re ready, you’ll take the online certification exam in your selected track at a time convenient for you. It is a 2-hour exam consisting of approximately 120 multiple choice questions. You must answer 80% of the questions correctly to pass.
Afterwards, you’re on the hook to keep your certification current by completing 10 continuing education credits per year and recertifying every 3 years.
Exam cost is $249 for AMA members and $349 for non-members. PLUS: AMADC members can use coupon code AMADC20 to receive $20 off your PCM exam registration.
Four Certification Tracks Available
Based on career data and customer feedback, AMA has determined these areas– in particular digital marketing and marketing management–as highly sought-after skill sets:
- PCM®, Marketing Management: shows mastery of a broad spectrum of topics including marketing strategy, global, ethical, and sustainable marketing and pricing decisions
- PCM®, Digital Marketing: includes in-demand topics such as analytics, social media, user experience, SEO, online advertising, email and content marketing
- PCM®, Sales Management: covers selling, organizational buying, customer relationships, marketing strategies and organizing a salesforce
- PCM®, Content Marketing: teaches the skills needed for strategy, planning, production, promotion and measurement of your organization’s content
Certification in Action
The certification was a big draw in bringing member Aaron Chusid, Chief Communications Officer, Boy Scouts of America, to AMADC. He completed the certification in Marketing Management at the end of 2017.
He didn’t have a formal background in marketing and went in search of credentials to get more grounded in the language. “With my background in the construction industry, I know certifications are very important. I felt that completing a professional certification in marketing would help me,” says Aaron.
He set aside 6 months to finish the professional materials and spent a Winter break preparing. Overall, he pleasantly found the coursework to be easier to get through than he expected, taking only about 30-40 hours in total.
“After doing the coursework and obtaining the certification, I came out with a lot more confidence and it’s changed the way I approach conversations with others in the field.”
PCM certification can help you, too! To get a better sense of what it’s all about, go to the American Marketing Association DC chapter website, review the coursework and take a practice exam.