Do you actually need to take a six sigma exam to become certified?

Posted by audreytaylor on January 5th, 2014

Since being designed first by Motorola in 1986 and since being propelled to business fame by General Electric in 1995, the six sigma methodology has quickly become one of the most influential business process improvement methods in the world. Six sigma principles can be applied to pretty much any industry out there and, if applied correctly, the methodology can help any business increase profitability while reducing costs and increasing customer satisfaction. You might have seen various six sigma certification programs online which didn’t require having to pass a six sigma exam at the end in order to get a certificate, and you might have found them tempting because of the lower price. Keep reading, however, and you’ll see why you need to take a six sigma certification exam to truly be certified, and see how to find the best six sigma training companies to help you get it.

When you complete a six sigma training course and receive a certification to prove the time spend building on your skills, you show the world and any potential employers that you put in the work to better understand and learn how to apply the six sigma methodology. However, you can’t take that certification to mean that you’re a six sigma expert, just as neither will any potential employers. Just like getting a driver’s license, getting a six sigma certification shows that you have knowledge of the methodology, but can’t prove definitively that you’ve mastered it. More importantly though, you have to realize that, just as no one would trust your driver’s license if you’d gotten it without having to pass an exam to prove your skills, no one will trust your six sigma certification if you can’t show you passed a six sigma certification exam in order to receive your qualification.

There are several companies out there offering six sigma certification courses, but not all of these will require that you take a six sigma certification exam before issuing your certificate. Instead of being happy that you don’t have to take a six sigma exam to get your certification, you should be wary. If you don’t have to take a six sigma exam to get your certification, how can you be sure of your skills or of the things you’ve learned, and how can you recommend yourself to future employers as a six sigma expert? If you don’t have the results of a six sigma exam to back up your certificate, how can you justify your expertise not only to future employers, but to yourself? Taking a six sigma certification exam doesn’t only give you a piece of paper with more authority, but it gives you the self-confidence you need, the self-confidence that can only come from knowing that you passed a written exam with flying colors, securing your knowledge.

You might’ve heard some things about how successful the six sigma methodology can be when applied correctly, but you’ve probably also noticed the high price of an average six sigma course, finalized with a six sigma exam, so you might be wondering if getting certified is worth your time. Find out why you need to take a six sigma certification exam to become certified, and see how doing so can help your career in the future.

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audreytaylor
Joined: December 23rd, 2012
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