The Benefits Of Certification 5649

The Benefits Of Certification

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As someone who has been using Raiser's Edge now for almost 20 years, I was excited when I first heard about Blackbaud Certification in Raiser's Edge and Financial Edge. Finally, a way for me to prove myself and my knowledge!  No more trying to explain the depth of my ability to someone who had never touched the program before!  And not only that, a way to justify asking for raises.

Of course, I was cocky about it.  I was sure I would pass the Associate (now Fundamentals) and Professional Exams blindfolded.  I did pass the first easily enough, but I failed the second by 10 points.  I brushed it off to parts of the program I didn't use often, but I resolved to take the courses offered to reacquaint myself.

Only that's not exactly how it went. 

Much of it was stuff I already knew, but as I delved into each course I slowly started to realize that Raiser's Edge had evolved more than I thought it had.  I had been doing things in a specific way for many years, and now I saw that there were new ways of handling things that cut the project time by as much as 85% in some cases.  Suddenly it wasn't about the certification anymore, it was about improving myself and my abilities at my job.  By the time I was done, there was a new appreciation for both the programs I worked with and what I could do with them.

Now I'm not saying that the other reasons aren't valid; 8% and 11% raises for passing each of the Raiser's Edge exams speaks for itself!  But the biggest thing I took away from getting the certifications is that while I knew a lot, there's always more to learn and there are always better ways to go about it.  Keep that in mind as you consider getting your own certifications.
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4 Comments
Such a great article.  I make it policy for any of my new users to take the fundamentals training and challenge the certification.  So valuable.  
Knowledge it power! 
Robert!  Bravo!  This blog was entirely written from my thoughts! I exemplify the same sentiments about my Blackbaud knowledge mindset.  I'm happy that we were finally able to gain our certifications and continue to learn together.  Thank you for this well-written article.  
One of the departmental goals we've set for this year is that everyone pass the Fundamentals exam. It is a good tool to determine who is understanding the basics and who needs additional assistance. 

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