In the modern workplace, soft skills, like communication, are crucial for success. The Global Digital Citizen Foundation published an article highlighting skills students need to be truly career ready. Communication came in at number two, with critical thinking in first place. Both skills are covered as part of Certiport’s Communication Skills for Business certification. Ready to learn more about Certiport’s new soft-skills certification?
What is the Communication for Business certification?
Communication Skills for Business (CSB) is one of the newest certification programs offered through Certiport. It is a 50-minute exam with approximately 35-50 questions. Candidates for the CSB certification will be expected to be able to effectively communicate in a business setting. While the key skill being measured is communication the nature of the exam will also help candidates with the other 3 of "the 4 C’s":
- Critical thinking - which will happen as they think through how to effectively communicate
- Collaboration - which will stem from effectively communicating with others
- Creativity - which is required to present appealing communications
Why create the Communication Skills for Business certification?
Poor communication is incredibly costly. According to David Grossman’s “The Cost of Poor Communication”, a survey of 400 companies with 100,000 employees each cited an average annual loss per company of $62.4 million because of inadequate communication with and between employees.
The CSB certification gives job candidates the proof they understand good communication and have the skills needed to be effective and efficient in their jobs, while saving the company money by not communicating poorly.
What topics are covered in the CSB certification exam?
The Communication Skills for Business certification covers six main topics, with coordinating sub-topics:
- Describe basic communication principles
- Identify professional communication skills
- Identify effective verbal, nonverbal, and listening skills
- Plan for effective communication
- Analyze the effect of the audience on a message
- Analyze the effect of the environment on a message
- Given a communication scenario, identify the specific purpose
- Given a communication scenario, address ethical and legal issues
- Given a business scenario, select the most appropriate communication medium
- Effectively outline and summarize your message
- Apply best practices for creating business deliverables
- Assemble accurate business communication deliverables
- Apply visual design standards to business communications
- Identify effective uses of data visualization to present complex information
- Deliver your message
- Describe the variables involved in delivering an effective message
- Identify methods of adapting a message based on audience feedback
- Receive communications
- Given a business communication, restate the key points of the message
- Given a message, identify appropriate responses or clarifying questions
- Analyze communication scenarios
- Analyze important factors of obtaining employment
- Analyze expressions of and responses to feedback
- Analyze communication etiquette within a business hierarchy
- Given a customer service request, identify the problem, solution, and appropriate action
You can see all the CSB exam objectives here.
What are the benefits of certifying?
Communication certification benefits candidates, educators, workforce development, and employers. Communication Skills for Business is a resume builder and helps candidates become more employable. For educators, the Communication Skills for Business ready-made, self-scoring exam saves instructors’ time by using the certification exam as a class exam, mid-term or final exam. In workforce education, Communication Skills for Business increases job placement rates and stabilizes funding options. Corporations who leverage the Communication Skills for Business certification provide job skill enhancement for employees and save money by not having poor communications.
What are the prerequisites to certifying?
An individual preparing to take the CSB exam should have approximately 150 hours of instruction and hands-on experience in formal communication theory and practice. The proficiency level expected for the exam can be attained through learning and practice tests.
Is there courseware available for CSB certification?
Our partners at LearnKey have developed material to prepare students for the CSB certification exam. LearnKey video courseware enhances the learning experience and increases certification exam success. It provides self-paced on-demand video learning material for Certiport's Communication Skills for Business program. These expert learning solutions are easy to use, interactive and help prepare students for certification success. With LearnKey curriculum, you can access video-based e-learning courseware, interactive labs, and prescriptive study guides.
Are there practice tests available for CSB certification?
Yes. Certiport offers CertPREP, powered by GMetrix, for practice exams that will prepare students for their CSB certification exam. You can get more details about CSB practice tests here.
Have additional questions about the CSB certification? Reach out to your Certiport Territory Manager here.