Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) is a highly recognized certification program that governs event planners by the Event Industry Council (EIC). This certification comes with many benefits; as such, event managers tend to go for this option to meet the criteria they need to get the CMP certification.  The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) opens doors to plenty of opportunities for event managers, and this can come in handy for professional event managers.

Obtaining the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) depends on several factors. One thing to remember, however, is that the CMP certification is geared toward creating a system where qualified event planners can be grouped under the umbrella of those who have gotten the CMP certification.

1. What is the CMP?

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) is an internationally recognized certification program for event planners governed by The Events Industry Council (EIC). It represents the standard of excellence in today’s meetings, conventions, and exhibitions.

2. What are the benefits of obtaining the CMP?

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) program aims to increase the professionalism of meeting management professionals in all industry sectors. Having the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation means that you are a certified event planner and have completed a set number of requirements to obtain that certification.

Corporate clients are more likely to hire a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) than any other event planner certification, as this signals to them that you have met the industry standard through a qualification process. The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) was put in place to:

• Identify a comprehensive body of knowledge in the meeting management profession
• Promote industry standards, practices, and ethics
• Stimulate the advancement of the art and science of meeting management
• Increase the value of Certified Meeting Professionals to their employers
• Maximize the value received from the products and services provided by CMPs

3. What is the process of becoming a CMP?

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification program is a two-part process in which you must:

PART 1. Complete the CMP application to demonstrate your eligibility

To be eligible for the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) exam, your application must include proof of both EXPERIENCE and EDUCATION. Here are some examples of the experience and education options that must be met to be eligible to apply:

EXPERIENCE – 1 of 3 Options

• Option 1: 36 months of experience – Must be full-time work experience in the meeting, event, exhibition, hospitality, and tourism industry (within the last five years).
• Option 2: 24 months of experience and an industry degree – Obtain an associate’s degree (or higher) in hospitality/tourism/event management (within the last five years).
• Option 3: 36 months as an educational instructor – full-time instructor of meeting, event, exhibition, hospitality, or tourism management at an educational institution or university program.

EDUCATION – 1 of 2 Options

• Option 1: 25 hours of educational activities completed in the past five years. E.g., Face-to-face conferences, webinars (both live and on-demand), classes, and individual sessions.
• Option 2: Industry Internship – This option is typically used by those who have chosen Option 2 in the Experience section of the application. The internship must have taken place in the past five years, including a minimum of 200 hours of work experience with a professional organization through an accredited educational institution or university.

[For more information on how to submit your application, CLICK HERE.]

PART 2. Successfully pass a written examination covering the functions performed in meeting management

If your application is approved, you will receive a notification of your application review and instructions for registering for the exam. You will then be required to pay your examination fee and schedule your exam to become a certified event planner.

Once you’ve paid your exam fee to the Events Industry Council, you will receive instructions on scheduling your exam. The exam is offered during four “testing windows” each year (January, May, August, and November). Each testing window is ten days. The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) exam is not offered every day of the year.

Event Planner Certification

The concept of having a structured event planning certification can make all the difference when it comes to starting your event planning business. There are several reasons why you may want to obtain an event planner certification, and some of those reasons we are going to share below. Having and maintaining an event planner certification can come with many benefits, such as presenting you as a professional and giving you the necessary platform to practice your art and grow your event planning business.

You can get your event planning certification if you know how to do just that. The number one thing you want to do is to ensure you have all that you need to create the outcome you desire. You can explore the world of wedding/event planner certification courses if you want to focus on wedding ceremonies for your event planning business. However, you can also branch out into the world of event planner certification online and create your business around it.

There are diverse certified event planner certification options that you can explore online, depending on what your desired outcome is. However, finding a way to get all the necessary tools and resources to make the difference starts with taking the very first step to making it work for you.

[For more information on how to schedule your CMP exam, CLICK HERE.]