Notes from the Payroll Prof
by Roger A. Smith, CPP & Payroll Consultant
Step up and Become Certified!
If you’re working in the payroll field, and you’re not certified, why not?
I’ve asked that question to many payroll people, and I think I’ve heard all the “excuses” but never a really good “reason” for not becoming FPC or CPP certified. For those of you who haven’t heard these designations, the American Payroll Association sponsors two levels of payroll certification. The Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) designation is your chance to demonstrate a baseline of payroll competency. It is designed for entry-level payroll professionals, Sales Professionals or Consultants serving the payroll industry, Systems Analysts/Engineers writing payroll programs and Payroll Service Bureau Client Representatives. The Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is for career payroll professionals and recognizes professional skills in all areas of payroll including core concepts, compliance, paycheck calculation, processes and systems, accounting, and management/administration. These certifications are administered by the APA and more information is available on the Certification page of their website, www.americanpayroll.org.
As a member of the CPP Certification Board, I talk to many people about becoming certified. I tell them how much I believe in the test as an accurate assessment and a valuable professional designation. Yet, I still hear many excuses. What’s your excuse for not becoming certified? Here are some I’ve heard – and why they are just “excuses.”
“I don’t have the time.” All of us have somewhere around 6,000 waking hours per year. Certainly, we don’t have a choice about how we spend a lot of those hours. But there’s no doubt, you do have the time in those 6,000 hours to do what’s really important to you.
“What good would it do me?” Are you planning on staying with your current employer for your entire career (fewer and fewer of us are these days)? If so, it will demonstrate to your employer the importance you place on improving yourself and your ability to serve your employer through education. Many employers recognize this achievement directly via bonuses or salary increases, or indirectly through career path, performance evaluation, or salary administration. If you do decide to enter the job market, the FPC and CPP designations are marketable records of achievement and comprehension of a level of knowledge. We are seeing more and more job openings where certification is a “plus” or even a “requirement.”
“I’m not good at test-taking.” While not everyone is “good at test-taking,” people who know the material and have properly prepared for these exams will be successful. Today most APA local chapters sponsor study groups which go over the material and also administer “practice tests” to make participants feel more comfortable in the testing situation. There are also courses sponsored by the APA as well as local colleges and universities. Participating in one of these activities will dramatically improve your chances of passing the test.
“What if I take the test and don’t pass?” True, not everyone passes these exams. They are meant to discriminate between those who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities, and those who do not. When I took the exam, I also had several people reporting to me taking the exam at the same time. What if I didn’t pass and they did? That was motivation for me, and for all of us, to study hard and make sure we learned the material. We studied together and learned from each other.
“My company won’t pay for the test.” So whose career is it, yours or your employers?
“I’m just not comfortable with the idea.” So maybe it’s time you got out of your comfort zone a bit and see what you really can do. Read the poem “My Comfort Zone” at http://www.bestofboards.com/inspire/comfort.htm. Here are the first two lines:
I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn't fail.
The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.
So, what’s your excuse? I hope you take the time to consider the benefits of becoming certified and take that first step today!
I can’t tell you what questions are on the test, but I’d be glad to answer any other questions you may have about FPC or CPP certification. My email address is Roger.Smith@payrollprof.com . |
