Get the Designations, Build Your Career!

When have you ever heard anyone say “when I grow up, I want to be a community manager”.  Yeah, me either.  But here we are, making the best of the job we have chosen.  Is it just a job for you though or is it a career?  

I never wanted to remain in this industry when I first started in it.  I was in between construction related jobs and as a single mom I took the first thing that came along at the time.  Within six months I had obtained my provisional manager license and found I was actually good at my position, no matter what position it was within the company.  I enjoyed assisting people, helping them learn the how and whys of the industry and being that bridge between the homeowners and board members.  Being able to be the communication portal between all sides of this industry is not for the faint of heart, but if you excel at it, as I have, this shouldn’t just be a job, it should be a career.

What is the difference between a job and a career?  We can look at the dictionary definitions and take it analytically, but honestly, defining the difference comes from within.  A job, is a job, is a job.  You go, you do the job and you leave.  A career though, you have a passion for it, you want to excel and you want to make a difference in your chosen industry.  You strive to be better every day and want to continue to learn over the course of your tenure.  You set goals when you have a career, you continue to learn, you win the awards and just be the best you can be.  If you have made being a community manager your career, what are you doing to set and achieve your goals?

This is where Community Association Institute (CAI) came into my life as a community manager.  If I was going to remain in the industry, I knew I needed to take the steps to prove I could be the best.  The first step was the CMCA.  Although being from the state of Nevada and Nevada having their own laws, testing and licensing requirements, being able to say you are a Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) is a big deal in the industry as a whole.  Obtaining your CMCA designation is just the beginning to opening new opportunities in the industry, if you are planning on making it a career.  

Not every state requires a community manager to be licensed with the Real Estate Division.  This is where the CMCA test came into the industry.  By obtaining the CMCA designation in other states, it showed the dedication to learning the overall requirements of what a community manager should know.  For us licensed managers in Nevada, it can be a bit confusing because the CMCA class (M100) was built as a general knowledge base for community managers across the country.  It is not Nevada specific and that can cause some issues when taking the test to obtain the designation.  Nonetheless, if you passed the Nevada state test to earn your community manager license, you can absolutely pass the test to obtain your CMCA designation.  I would simply recommend that you forget what you learned for the Nevada test and stick to the facts that are presented in the M100 class.  Do not overthink the questions and think of them as if you are a Nevada community manager.  Review the information and take the practice tests before you schedule the CMCA test and go with your gut.  You know how you successfully pass tests and the techniques that have worked for you in the past should be utilized to pass this test as well.  If you do not pass the test the first time, reach out to your colleagues that have the CMCA designation and find out what they have done that might be helpful in your studying in order to pass.  

Designations don’t stop there though.  Becoming an Association Management Specialist (AMS) is just a couple more classes away.  CAI National offers M200 classes (most of which can be taken online) and successful completion of just two of the six classes, along with an application and coordinating fees, will allow you to place the coveted AMS letters after your name.  There is no additional state or national test that goes along with obtaining the AMS designation; just the tests that go with the individual classes.  

The Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation is significantly more work.  You must take the remaining four M200 classes and then participate in a case study.  The case study involves 2-3 dedicated days of visiting a community, question and answer sessions with the current management team for that association and writing a comprehensive essay that answers ten in depth questions about the association.  A participant will have 30 days to complete the case study after the conclusion of the on-site visits.  Participating in a case study and completing the essay is comparable to a college student completing a thesis on their intended chosen major.  Completing the case study is not for the faint of heart.  It is stressful, time consuming, and frustrating because you are never quite sure if your answers/responses to the questions are what the judges are looking for, but, once you have that PCAM certificate in your hands, the rewards and benefits are endless!  I still have my PCAM case study paper in my desk drawer.  It is over 100+ pages of responses, backup documentation and proof that I knew what I want talking about as a community manager.  At the end of the day, there is not just one right or wrong answer when doing the case study responses, but you have to prove yourself and why you feel the way you do by using every ounce of your knowledge in the essay.  And this is why there are less than 3500 PCAM designations issued across the country!

As someone that has been in the industry for over 16 years (and yes, I know that is a drop in the bucket compared to so many in the state of Nevada) I can tell you, without a doubt in my mind, I would not be in the position I am in without my designations.  Being able to put the CMCA, AMS and PCAM behind my name when I sign letters and proposals tells people I am dedicated not only to this industry, but to educating myself to the highest extent for my communities.  As someone who started their own business after just 6 years in the industry, I never would have had the confidence to do so without my designations.  As a business owner, I find those managers that apply for positions within my company more dependable and driven when they have those designation letters behind their name as well.  

Where do you want to go in your career?  If the goal is to make it to a management position with a larger company, start your own company one day or simply just to make more money overall, putting in the time, energy and money in obtaining your designations would be one of the first things you should be doing. Don’t wait, start today!

Tonya Gale, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Adv DCAL
Supervisory Community Manager and Owner of Epic Association Management, AAMS