CPSM Study Tips
The Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) designation is one of distinction. It demonstrates your industry experience and knowledge and helps you grow within your profession. If you are ready to work toward becoming a CPSM, below are some tips to set you up for success.
- Set up a schedule. Set a schedule or timeframe that keeps you on task and accounts for the reality of your life/responsibilities. But do not let it drag on too long! Know the best time and location for your studying. Is it best to study in the morning before work, dedicate your lunch hour, study in the evenings, or be a weekend warrior? Do you need to study outside of the house to focus? Do you need accountability? Tell your family, colleagues, and friends and ask for their support to keep you on track.
- Know your study approach. What helps you best retain information? Writing notes, creating flashcards, highlighting, talking out loud, etc. or a combination of the aforementioned?
- Join a bootcamp. CPSM bootcamps provide structured guidance for the Six Domains of Practice. A bootcamp will help you maintain your study schedule and give you insight on what to expect on the exam. Reach out to the SMPS St. Louis Education Director ([email protected]) for assistance finding bootcamps.
- Join a study group with like-minded people. Study groups work best when everyone has the same commitment level. Studying with others helps with accountability, motivation and comprehension as you talk through concepts together. It is proven that peer-to-peer discussion and even speaking aloud to study will improve your memory.
- Reach out to those who are certified. Have an in-depth conversation with a CPSM to get a better feel for how to prepare, what to expect on exam day, and to see if they have any resources to help you prepare for the test.
MARKENDIUM
- Purchase Markendium. It is the required reading material for the exam. The Six Domains of Practice books are available at Amazon.com - either paperback or on Kindle.
- Give yourself time to truly read, absorb and process the Markendium content. Skimming or not being focused will not be quality use of your time. Reading the content is not enough to pass the test. The books are small but densely packed with information. This is a criterion-based exam, not citation-based. You must choose the best answer based on your comprehension of process, concepts, and practices. It is about analyzing the question and making decisions based on your understanding.
- Highlight information. As you read Markendium, highlight information you think might be important to remember. This will help later if you want to review any of the material but do not want to re-read the entire book. Note that the Kindle version allows you to search terms, highlight and make notes - so consider this format if a digital tool is more supportive of your study style.
- Look for qualifiers. Markendium is rich with information. Be mindful of keywords such as “first,” “best,” “most,” etc.
- Challenge yourself with case studies. Work through the Case Study that is at the end of each Domain book to focus on comprehension so you can think through the questions on the test.
- Give all Domain books equal attention. If one Domain is a strength or certain areas seem to be common sense or natural to you, still give it attention and work through your study process fully. How you do things at your company or in your career thus far may not be the recommended method or theory being taught in Markendium. For example, most people who take the CPSM exam have extensive, deep expertise in proposal development and yet that Domain scores lowest for a large percentage of people!
- Know your formulas. Markendium makes it clear that to be successful in business a marketer must understand finances. Domain 6 contains many financial concepts and formulas. Know these formulas and ratios and their significance.
STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE EXAMS
- Read the CPSM Study Guide. The study guide will help you master key concepts through its practice questions and its scenarios for you to work through. Read the study guide before you start studying and again when you get through the Markendium content.
- There is good advice for studying and for test taking. If you have not taken a test in a while, the test taking tips are a great reminder.
- There are additional key terms in the study guide that are not in the Domain glossaries.
- Work through the scenarios presented in the study guide as these also focus on comprehension so you can analyze test questions and work through them.
- Practice, practice, practice. When taking the practice exams (in the study guide or any additional exams provided through your chapter or bootcamp), take the exam before you read that specific domain and check your answers. Make a note of any questions you missed. When you get to that section in the book, you will most likely pay closer attention to that particular topic within the Domain. Re-take that Domain's practice exam after reading Markendium.
- Practice with your study group. Take practice exams before you meet with the study group and have the group discuss any questions missed. Someone in the group may be able to help you better understand the content by explaining the “why” of the answer.
- Present concepts. If you are having trouble retaining information on a certain topic, present the information to a friend or coworker. Creating a mock presentation may help you retain the information better.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Use the Quizlet app. Quizlet is a free study tool that is an excellent resource for squeezing in studying on the go or during small breaks. Search for “SMPS CPSM” or other related terms to find flashcards and quizzes.
- Be sure you are studying the correct CPSM set! Those studying for their Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) also have content on Quizlet.
- Recommended users include: danieluetrecht (for exam questions), Korinne_Bouwhuis (over 400 Markendium terms) and Lildee007 (for keywords and concepts).
- Make flashcards. Use flashcards for information or topics you are struggling to remember. That includes any questions you may miss on the practice or Quizlet exams.
SMPS St. Louis wants to help you achieve your goal of becoming a CPSM! Check in with the SMPS St. Louis Education Director ([email protected]) for CPSM study materials, for assistance finding a bootcamp or study partner and for any questions you have regarding the CPSM.
