Certification

The Certified Administrative Professional^® (CAP^®) Rating - The accepted standard of proficiency and recognized capstone of the secretarial and administrative support professions

Why Get Certified?

Certification can enhance your career by building self-esteem, gaining a competitive edge for promotions and hiring, and you can earn valuable college credit through many colleges and universities.

Am I Eligible?

Anyone with at least two years of administrative professional experience within the last fifteen years, depending on the level of college education. Students or teachers of business education may also qualify. Membership in IAAP is not required.

What's Involved?

The CAP exam is a 4.5 hour exam administered the first Saturday of May and November and can be taken at one of over 250 testing sites in the United States, Canada, and many other countries.

Information covered on the CAP exam includes Communication, Organization and Planning, Information Distribution, Records Management, Physical and Information Resources, Document Production, Financial Functions and Human Resources.

An additional specialization in Organizational Management, leading to the CAP-OM rating can also be obtained at the same time as the CAP or after the CAP rating is obtained. The Organizational Management specialty exam is a 3.5 hour exam.

A new specialization in Technology Applications is also available beginning in 2012. The TA specialty can be added to the CAP certification by completing three modules of the IAAP Options Technology Training and passing at least one Microsoft Office Specialist exam.

How Do I Study?

A testing review guide is available from IAAP to help those taking the CAP and OM specialty exams to find the resources needed. Special study groups may also be available to help prepare for the exams.

I Earned My Certification, Now What?

IAAP requires recertification of the CAP rating every five years, which can be obtained through 60 hours of continuing education. This ensures up-to-date knowledge of the administrative profession and business practices.