A Complete Guide to the CMP Application
So you’ve decided to go for it! Congratulations! Some say the hardest part of the whole process is the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Application! To put it differently, this application isn’t easy! However, you can’t move forward until you have completed your application, so there’s no time like the present!
CMP Process - Four Steps
At the present time, becoming a CMP is a four-step process. First, you will complete a detailed application. After you have submitted the application, you will be considered a CMP Applicant. Second, you will hear back from the Events Industry Council (EIC) in three to five weeks. (At times, my students report hearing back much quicker). Once you are accepted into the CMP program, you will be considered a CMP Candidate. Congratulations! After that, you have one year to take the exam.
CMP Application Instructions
Undeniably, there are very limited instructions within the actual form you will be filling out. Consequently, most people start filling out the fields and then start wondering if they are proceeding correctly.
Therefore, my advice is to read both the CMP Handbook and the CMP Handbook Addendum prior to filling out the application. It’s important to realize that many of your questions will be answered in the handbooks.
Application Due Dates
At the present time, the EIC has done away with all deadlines for application, registration, or exam scheduling.
In particular, at any time, you can:
- Create and submit your application
- Submit your exam fee
- Schedule your exam during your eligibility year
Where To Find the CMP Application
You will be filling out and submitting the CMP Application on the EIC’s website, EventsCouncil.org.
Please note: If you already have an EIC account, but cannot log in, DO NOT create a second account using the same email address. When you do this, it confuses the EIC’s system and it’s next to impossible to get it fixed. Instead, click on the “Forgot Your Password” button.
If you do not already have an account on the EIC website, you want to open one today. It’s free and easy. Here’s how:
- Go to EventsCouncil.org https://eventscouncil.org
- In the upper right corner, you will see “CMP Login”
- Next, you will want to click on “Get Started,” where it says “Don’t have an account yet,” on the right-hand side of the page.
From there it’s very easy to open up your account
Now that you have an EIC account, you will be able to:
- Track your continuing education activities
- Fill out the CMP application and upload supporting documentation
CMP Application Nuts and Bolts
As you complete the CMP Application, keep in mind that you are trying to demonstrate that you are ready to sit for the CMP exam. You do that by meeting a requirement in each of the sections of the application.
- Professional Experience
- Continuing Education and Internships
Section 1: Professional Experience
In this section, the EIC is giving you three ways to meet the one professional experience requirement.
Option 1
This is the most popular option. It requires that you have completed thirty-six months of full-time employment over the past five years in a position where you had responsibility.
Option 2
To choose this option, first, you must have a completed degree in hospitality from an accredited university. Second, it requires that you have completed twenty-four months of full-time employment over the past five years in a position where you had responsibility.
Option 3
By choosing this option, you are stating you have been a full-time instructor, teaching meeting industry courses, at an institution of higher education for at least thirty-six months.
Once you know which option you are choosing, the information you need to complete this section is fairly straightforward.
Section 1 Common Questions/Concerns on the CMP Application
Job Title: Many people ask me about filling in this field. They express concern that their title doesn’t say they work in the meeting industry. Perhaps their titles are:
- Sales Manager
- Administrative Assistant
- Project Coordinator
- Executive Assistant
- and others
Do not be concerned about this. The EIC will be looking to make sure your job description reflects that you are a meeting professional. They understand that many titles perform the tasks of a meeting professional.
Job Description/Duties:
Use the job description provided by your employer as a jumping-off point. These documents are usually not inclusive of all the meeting professional tasks that you perform. Make sure you include all the details of your responsibilities in this description.
Claiming More Than One Job:
Some of us have changed jobs in the past few years. Subsequently, you will have the opportunity to click a button to add an additional set of fields to round out your experience.
Resume
The only remaining requirement in this section is to upload an updated resume into the application. Be sure to include your current employment. Make sure the resume matches what you have already filled out on your application.
That’s pretty easy, right? Great! Let’s look at the next part of the CMP application.
Section 2: Continuing Education and Internships on the CMP Application
In this section, the EIC is giving you two ways to meet the one Continuing Education and Internship requirement.
This option is only available if you have completed a meeting industry internship of 200-hours or more, that was administered by an institution of higher education, within the last five years. If not, skip down to Option 1.
Option 1
This option says you have completed twenty-five clock hours of continuing education, in the meetings industry, in the past five years. Many people have questions about what activities will meet the requirement. For more details about what topics are included, I will refer you first to the CMP Handbook. Secondly, you will want to review the CMP International Standards (CMP-IS).
Before we can move on, it’s important to understand that the EIC groups Continuing Education into two types:
- Pre-Accepted by the EIC
- Not Pre-Accepted
You do not need to attend only pre-accepted activities to receive credit on your CMP application. Below, you will find all the information you will need for each activity you are claiming. You will have the opportunity to click a button to add an additional set of fields to round out your experience.
What does CMP-IS Domain Mean?
For activities not pre-accepted, as long as the activity’s learning objectives can be aligned with one of the nine domains in the CMP International Standards, you will receive CMP credit. With all activities you self-report, make sure to upload your registration information as well as a course description into your application.
To determine which domain your activity aligns with, I recommend using the CMP-IS table of contents.
Let’s imagine you took a course called “Creating a Meeting Budget.” Which domain in the table of contents do you think that course would fall into?
If you said, “Domain D. Financial Management”, you would be correct! Good job!
Are you are unsure about which domain your activity falls into? Reach out to me by scheduling a quick phone call or call the EIC directly to ask for assistance.
You did it! You filled out your CMP Application!
That’s all you need to do!
Make sure you check and double-check you have completed every step and then you can submit the application!
It’s important to remember that the application is not subjective. If you meet one requirement in each section of the form and can provide the required documentation, then you will be a CMP Candidate!
You better start preparing by joining the Event Solutions Academy!
