Certification Frequently Asked Questions
All designations and examinations offered by WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals adhere to the rigorous standards of the certification field. Current practices and applicability drive certification program design. Using emerging developments in the field and feedback from past participants, the Society refines the programs in response to the changes and challenges that affect each professional area.
You can earn designations by passing the required examinations for each certification. While it is not necessary, most candidates take the corresponding certification preparation course offered by WorldatWork.
Types of Certifications Offered
Gain confidence, skills, and credibility with prestigious
WorldatWork Society designations. Start today and get the extra edge
you need to advance your career and enable you to play a key role in
your organization's success.
| Core Competency Designations |
Advanced and Specialty Designations |
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Requires passing score on curriculum-based exams.
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Requires passing score on a competency-based exam.
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General Questions
Q: What's the best path for me if I'm ready to get certified? And is WorldatWork membership required to pursue certification?
A: Contact WorldatWork Customer Relationship Services at 877-951-9191 (United States and Canada) or 480-922-2020 (other countries) to speak with an adviser who can help you map out your path to certification based on your individual needs and goals.
WorldatWork membership is not required to pursue certification. However, members do receive exclusive discounts on certification prep courses and exams./p>
Q: Am I required to take a certification prep course or can I simply take the exam?
A: You are not required to take a certification prep course, but many customers find value in learning from experienced instructors and in-depth course materials. You can take either the certification prep course with exam or simply the exam.
Q: Do I need to take the exams in a specific order?
A: No. There is no specific order to take the exams. However, we recommend taking the Total Rewards Management (T1/GR1) course first to establish a good foundation.
Q: Where do I take my certification exam?
A: You can take your exam through our computer-based testing (CBT) partner, Pearson VUE, which has thousands of testing centers around the world.
For more detailed information about scheduling your WorldatWork certification exam, as well as extension options, visit the exam information webpage.
Q: After I buy the exam, how long do I have to take the test and can I purchase an extension if needed?
A: Your exam authorization expires 120 days from the date of purchase. A 30-day exam extension is available for a fee, if purchased before your 120-day authorization expires.
Q: What is the minimum passing score?
A: The minimum passing score for all certification exams is 75%.
Q: Can I retake a failed exam?
Yes. You have unlimited retakes. Although, you can immediately schedule a retake, we recommend you first look over your score report to help identify any areas where you may need additional study and/or experience before retesting.
Please contact WorldatWork Customer Relationship Services at 877-951-9191 (United States and Canada) or 480-922-2020 (other countries) to speak with an adviser to discuss retake options and prices.
WorldatWork also has a variety of educational offerings, such as courses, webinars and quality publications, to assist you in these areas.
Q: Do the exams I've passed ever expire?
A: If you have not yet achieved your designation, all certification exams expire eight years from the day you passed them. Log in to My Profile then scroll to My Certifications and click on View Certification Status for complete exam information.
If you have achieved your designation and remain current through our recertification process, the exams you passed will never expire.
Q: When I've completed one certification, can those credits be applied to another certification?
A: Yes. You can apply the exam credits from your certification toward the corresponding exam requirements for any future certifications.
Q: Where can I check my certification status?
A: Log in to My Profile then scroll to My Certifications and click on View Certification Status to view exams passed, when you passed them and what exams you have yet to take.
Q: How do I apply related exams I've passed when pursuing a second designation, if my first designation has expired?
A: Once you complete the remaining exams required for your second certification, that will serve as the credits needed to recertify your first certification.
Advanced and Specialty Designations
Q: How do the advanced (ACCP) and specialty (CECP, CSCP) designations differ from other WorldatWork Society designations?
A: The advanced and specialty certifications combine knowledge and skills based on experience in the field and the industry standard body of knowledge that is required for individual and business success.
The ACCP, CECP, and CSCP designations are achieved by passing one comprehensive competency-based exam. Prerequisite for ACCP: A CCP or GRP designation under current requirements must be acquired prior to ACCP testing.
The CCP, GRP, CBP, and WLCP certifications require passing multiple specific curriculum-based exams.
Q: Do I need experience in the field before I take a competency-based exam?
A: Experience in the field is recommended. You should review the comprehensive body of knowledge for your respective focus area. The body of knowledge represents the complete set of knowledge and skills required for professionals working in the field.
View the body of knowledge for:
ACCP |
CECP |
CSCP
Q: How can I test my readiness for a competency-based exam?
A: WorldatWork offers practice exams to help you get familiar with the types of questions asked in all knowledge areas within an exam. Practice exams offer an easy way to test your readiness by assessing your strengths and weaknesses, and help identify knowledge gaps where you may need additional study or experience.
Get practice exam for:
ACCP |
CECP |
CSCP
Q: How many questions are there on a competency-based exam?
A: There are 110-160 questions on the competency-based exams.
Q: I earned my CCP/GRP before the exam requirements changed in 2015, and now I want to pursue an ACCP. Do I need to take the additional exams?
A: Yes. If you would like to acquire the Advanced Certified Compensation Professional (ACCP) designation and earned a CCP or GRP prior to 2015, you must pass the Business Acumen for Compensation Professionals (C8) exam. In addition, CCP Canada and GRP designation holders must pass the International Financial Reporting Standards for Compensation Professionals (T7) exam.
Q: If I earned my ACCP, does that renew my other certifications?
A: Yes. Any time a new certification is achieved, it will reset the recertification date for all previously earned certifications.
Recertification
Q: Does my certification expire?
A: All WorldatWork Society designations require 12 recertification credits every three years. When requested, WorldatWork will respond appropriately to specific inquiries by employers regarding an individual's certification status.
Q: How do I keep my designation(s) current?
A: Begin by starting the Recertification Application form. This form will collect all your recertification credits. You can earn credits through a variety of activities. Visit the Recertification page to learn more.
Q:To recertify, do I need to earn 12 recertification credits for each of my designations?
A: No. You need a total of 12 recertification credits. If you’ve earned two or more designations, you only need to complete the recertification credits for one to keep them all current.
Q: How do I know when my certification expires?
A: Once earned, the designations remain part of your transcript record. The status of your certification and expiration can be found on My Profile under Certification Status.
Certifications that are not maintained by filing an application every three years are considered out of date until the Recertification Application has been filed and approved.
Q: When should I submit the Recertification Application form?
A: You may complete the Recertification Application form any time after you earn a designation. We recommend that you complete the form right away to allow credits earned through WorldatWork recertification activities to be automatically added to your recertification status.
Once you meet the requirements for recertification, your designation will be renewed automatically on your renewal date. You must complete the application form in order to be recertified.
Q: What happens after I complete my 12 recertification credits?
A: After we receive and approve your fulfilled recertification application, you will receive a new certificate that indicates you are current for an additional three years. At the end of your current designation period, you’ll be eligible to begin accruing credit toward your next recertification.
Q: When is my Recertification Application form closed?
A: When you reach 12 recertification credits, your recertification application will close within 30 days of your original designation expiration, renewing your certification for another three years.
Q: Can I still recertify if my recertification date has expired?
A: Yes. You can enter your credits by going back three years from the date on the recertification application. Once you obtain the 12 credits needed, select the “Submit” button to send your application to our certification team for review and approval.
WorldatWork Society Recertification Credits
Keeping your WorldatWork designation(s) current is achieved by earning 12 credits every three years. To keep your WorldatWork credential(s) current, you must accrue a total of 12 recertification credits every 3 years. If you have earned two or more designations, you only need to complete the recertification credits for one to keep them all current. These credits are earned through a variety of professional development activities focusing on compensation, benefits and total rewards.
To help you keep track of recertification credits, after achieving a designation be sure to fill out the Recertification Application Form. This form must be completed showing all recertification credits earned before being recertified. To simplify this process, many of WorldatWork activities that offer recertification credits will be automatically added to your application if you participate.
Credits are earned through a wide variety of activities including:
Education
Take WorldatWork courses to obtain another certification or to equip you with the knowledge needed to implement practical solutions to address today’s complex business challenges.
Earn 1 – 2.5 Credits
Register for a Course
Conferences
Network with peers, learn from the top thought leaders and find solutions to today's total rewards issues at WorldatWork conferences.
Earn 1 - 2.5 Credits
Plus, gain up to 2 credits when you attend the Equilar Summit, a WorldatWork partner.
Attend a conference
Membership
Bring it all together with WorldatWork membership’s exclusive online resources, access today's thought leaders, your colleagues and you, plus obtain savings on WorldatWork products and events.
Earn 1 Credit per year
Become a member
Professional Contributions
Earn credits by doing the things you enjoy and that you do every day! Recertification credits can be earned through leadership, job-related work project, teaching/presenting/speaking, or writing (for WorldatWork or other print publications). The exact amount of recertification credits for professional contributions are based on content and length of contribution.
Earn .5 - 6 Credits
View Volunteer Opportunities
Candidates preparing for the CSCP examination should review the Body of Knowledge (BOK). The BOK represents the complete set of knowledge and skills required for professionals working in the sales compensation field. Set as the industry standard, the BOK was identified by WorldatWork Society via a formal practice analysis completed by hundreds of practitioners. The CSCP examination covers all topic areas addressed in the Body of Knowledge.
The Body of Knowledge is comprised of four main knowledge domains consisting of 66 total tasks representing common skills, knowledge and abilities of the sales compensation professional. You should review the BOK while performing a self-assessment of your individual strengths and weaknesses of the subject matter to be tested. You should review all topic areas with deeper concentration on those in which you have identified as areas of weakness.
Strategic Management of Sales Compensation
- Demonstrate business acumen in strategic planning for sales compensation
- Determine organizational readiness for sales compensation
- Understand the purpose of sales compensation and the importance of sales compensation to the organization’s business, products and services
- Determine when sales compensation is an appropriate response to a business need
- Understand the human resources strategy and total rewards strategy
- Ensure alignment between sales compensation plans and the organization’s compensation and business strategies
- Understand the go-to-market strategy and its relationship to the channel strategy
- Understand the financial metrics that measure the organization’s success and the sales performance measures that affect them
- Understand appropriate uses and general features of all forms of variable pay
- Recognize changes in the business environment that affect sales compensation
- Track industry trends and practices
- Lead the decision-making process with Senior Leadership (Sales and other functions) in the sales planning process
- Demonstrate effective influencing skills when interacting with senior management
Design Sales Compensation Plans
- Identify the organization’s desired competitive position for jobs covered by the sales compensation plan
- Benchmark the organization’s competitive position for jobs covered by the sales compensation plan
- Understand key elements of the selling process
- Understand sales compensation terms (e.g., target cash compensation, mix, leverage, commission, etc.)
- Understand the types of sales compensation plans and payout mechanics
- Assess the alignment between sales compensation and other total rewards programs
- Identify appropriate members of the sales compensation design team
- Partner with the sales compensation design team on plan design
- Identify considerations for goal-setting
- Identify the linkage between the content of specific jobs and the elements of sales compensation designs
- Determine eligibility of job roles for sales compensation
- Identify factors that should be included in various sales compensation plan designs
- Identify the behaviors that drive sales productivity
- Identify appropriate performance measures and weighting of measures
- Understand common sales compensation formula types
- Determine formulas for commission plans
- Determine quotas for commission plans
- Determine formulas for bonus plans
- Determine quotas for bonus plans
- Partner with Finance or the appropriate department on financial modeling of sales compensation formulas to determine earnings impact and affordability of various alternatives
- Design a “draw” feature for a sales compensation plan
- Utilize special plan designs to address specific selling situations
- Identify appropriate performance periods and payout cycles for sales compensation plans
- Determine the appropriate mix (salary-incentive ratio) for given jobs
- Determine appropriate leverage (incentive upside opportunity)
- Understand processes for developing coverage model, account structures/segmentationand territories for sales representatives
- Identify and explain potential plan qualifiers
- Incorporate clawback/payback features as appropriate
- Develop or assist in the development of SPIFFs
- Ensure that sales compensation plan designs comply with applicable legislation/regulation
- Consult with outside experts on sales compensation plan design
- Modify sales compensation plans for multiple countries of operation
- Understand the impact of regional/cultural differences on the go-to-market strategy and channel strategy
Administer Sales Compensation Programs
- Develop appropriate timelines for programming, communication and training
- Communicate business drivers for sales compensation plans to internal stakeholders
- Communicate sales compensation plan details to plan participants
- Train field sales staff on compensation-related processes and procedures
- Collaborate with other internal departments on plan administration
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of software/programs used to administer sales compensation plans
- Work with the IT Department to set system requirements for tracking plan performance and payouts
- Implement business system tools to support the sales compensation program
- Work with service providers and/or consultants on sales compensation plan administration
- Participate in the review and validation of sales revenue, plan payouts and program exceptions
- Communicate effectively with sales staff regarding compensation-related and sales operation issues
- Interact effectively with senior management and regional level executives on plan operation and performance
Evaluate Sales Compensation Plan Effectiveness
- Use statistical tools and processes to evaluate plan performance
- Survey the sales force and other stakeholders for qualitative feedback on plan performance
- Develop/complete sales performance reports and ad hoc analysis
- Communicate sales compensation plan results to senior management
- Evaluate the performance of sales compensation service providers/consultants
- Monitor the impact of changes in sales channels and sales coverage
- Identify and document unintended outcomes of sales compensation plans
- Identify and implement required enhancements to sales compensation plans
Candidates preparing for the Advanced Certified Compensation Professional (ACCP)™ examination should review the Body of Knowledge (BOK). The BOK represents the complete set of knowledge and skills required for advanced-level professionals in the compensation practice. Set as the industry standard, the BOK was identified by a representative committee of expert compensation practitioners and consultants as part of an in-depth study to define the scope of compensation practice for compensation practitioners with influential roles in their organizations. The BOK is comprised of four main knowledge domains representing the required knowledge, skills and abilities of the advanced-level compensation professional. The ACCP examination covers all topic areas addressed in the BOK.
Strategic Business Understanding in Compensation
- Understand organizational governance
- Understand finance and accounting concepts relevant to compensation practice
- Understand the business
- Recognize influences on compensation practice
- Recognize internal drivers affecting compensation
Culture
Politics
Existing rewards structure
Business plan (short and long term)
Existing goals/objectives
Organization design
- Recognize external drivers affecting compensation
- Societal
- Governmental
- Global
- Business
- Trends/emerging practices
- Align and integrate the various elements of total rewards into a cohesive whole
- Act as a strategic business partner
Advanced Measurement and Analytics
- Identify data sources and interpret results
- HR analytics
- Finance
- Accounting
- Compensation
- Demonstrate technical mastery and understanding of tools used in compensation
- Make and/or influence business decisions with appropriate data
Compensation Program Management (30%)
- Demonstrate advanced compensation knowledge
- Perform compensation planning in alignment with:
- Business needs
- Organization and HR objectives
- Total rewards/employee value proposition
- Availability of company resources
- The organization’s operational environment
- Administer domestic compensation programs
- Broad–based compensation
- Executive compensation
- Expatriate compensation
- Sales compensation
- Administer global compensation programs
- Demonstrate leadership skills
- Interact with consultants/vendors
- Interact with other key stakeholders
- Partner with other HR
- Understand incentive/motivation theory
- Manage total compensation expense
Change Management and Compensation Communication
- Lead and/or participate in change management initiatives
- Communicate effectively to different target audiences
- Utilize the appropriate media for the target audience
Candidates preparing for the CECP examination should review the Body of Knowledge (BOK). The BOK represents the complete set of knowledge and skills required for professionals working in the executive compensation field. Set as the industry standard, the BOK was identified by WorldatWork Society via a formal practice analysis completed by hundreds of practitioners. The CECP examination covers all topic areas addressed in the Body of Knowledge.
The Body of Knowledge is comprised of four main knowledge domains consisting of 85 total tasks representing common skills, knowledge and abilities of the executive compensation professional. You should review the BOK while performing a self-assessment of your individual strengths and weaknesses of the subject matter to be tested. You should review all topic areas with deeper concentration on those in which you have identified as areas of weakness.
Strategic Management of Executive Compensation
- Understand the mission, vision and business strategy of the organization
- Ensure alignment of executive compensation with business strategy
- Develop the executive compensation strategy
- Identify objectives for executive compensation plans
- Understand the organizational culture
- Understand the governance structure of the organization
- Recognize internal and external influences on executive compensation
- Identify shareholder interests and concerns
- Track industry trends and practices
- Develop a strong working relationship with the compensation committee of the Board of Directors
Design Executive Compensation Plans
- Acquire peer-group market data
- Analyze and interpret survey data
- Analyze and interpret proxy data
- Conduct job evaluation for executive positions
- Assess the competitive environment
- Identify target competitive market position for executive roles
- Understand executive compensation benchmarking processes
- Understand short-term incentive design concepts
- Understand long-term incentive design concepts
- Understand regulatory requirements for executive compensation
- Understand regression analysis
- Understand equity vehicles used to compensate executives
- Understand equity compensation valuation methods
- Understand supplemental executive benefits (e.g., deferred compensation)
- Determine the best short-term incentive (STI) approach
- Determine the best long-term incentive (LTI) approach
- Build market-based recommendations for base pay
- Build market-based recommendations for short-term incentives
- Build market-based recommendations for long-term incentives
- Build market-based recommendations for total executive compensation
- Make recommendations for executive bonus programs
- Make recommendations for executive benefits
- Make recommendations for executive perquisites
- Establish performance measures for all plan components
- Design/develop stock ownership guidelines
- Assess internal equity of existing programs and proposed designs
- Assist in assuring the legal compliance of all plan designs
- Work with internal and external stakeholders on director compensation programs
- Consult with outside experts on executive compensation plan design
- Understand all executive reward elements
- Understand employment contracts and agreements
- Understand severance and change-in-control agreements
- Understand financial statements
- Understand tax and accounting principles for executive compensation
- Make effective and succinct presentations on executive compensation proposals and trends
- Obtain appropriate plan approvals
Administer Executive Compensation Programs
- Administer base pay program for executives
- Administer bonus programs for executives
- Administer short-term incentive programs for executives
- Administer long-term incentive programs for executives
- Administer benefits for executives
- Administer supplemental benefits for executives
- Administer deferred compensation programs for executives
- Administer perquisites for executives
- Provide information and counseling to executives on benefits and perquisites
- Analyze pay for internal executive staffing moves
- Analyze pay for external executive new hires
- Interact with/support the compensation committee of the Board of Directors on plan administration
- Provide analytical tools (and education) for use by the compensation committee to assess change in executive compensation programs (e.g., tally sheets, etc.)
- Interact with/support other committees of the Board of Directors
- Develop all executive rewards-related materials and reports for director meetings as required
- Work with executive compensation consultants
- Manage service provider relationship with stock transfer agent
- Manage service provider relationship with stock plan administrator
- Manage service provider relationships with other executive rewards providers
- Coordinate with Finance to provide data needed for equity calculations
- Collaborate with Accounting
- Collaborate with Legal
- Collaborate with Investor Relations
- Manage the roll-up of performance and financial results to lead the official review and determination process on final reward payouts
- Communicate and interact with senior executives
- Communicate with executives regarding the specifics of their individual total rewards packages
- Administer executive compensation programs in accordance with all relevant accounting and tax requirements
- Assist in the completion of all proxy disclosure requirements (Compensation Discussion and Analysis [CD&A], tabular disclosures, other)
- Prepare documents as required for shareholder meetings
- Conduct Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) research
Evaluate Executive Compensation Programs
- Use statistical tools and processes to evaluate plan performance
- Analyze the success of various executive compensation plan designs
- Obtain qualitative and quantitative data on plan performance
- Evaluate executive compensation plan performance against objectives
- Evaluate the performance of executive compensation service providers
- Evaluate internal equity and external competitiveness of executive compensation programs
- Assess legal compliance
- Identify and document unintended outcomes of executive compensation plans
- Identify and implement required enhancements to executive compensation plans
