Certified Interview Strategist (CIS) Credential

This program is open to all interview coaches, employment consultants, career coaches, and career practitioners who serve the Canadian labour market. If you provide clients with strategic advice on employment interviews, you are a potential candidate for the Certified Interview Strategist (CIS) credential.

We are a welcoming and inclusive community. If you are starting out in the profession and would like to earn your CIS, start with the Employment Interview Coaching Course.

Once you attain your CIS you can add the credential next to your name. You can include the CIS logo on your résumé, business card, website, and anywhere you want to gain additional visibility as an expert and specialist in the field.

You can use your CIS to:

• Advertise your expertise and market your services.
• Show additional value to employers and clients.
• Feature your credentials on your own résumé.

Watch our CPC Certification Information Session video to learn more about attaining your designations.

The CIS is the only Canadian standard for validating the expertise of employment consultants, career coaches, and other professionals providing interview coaching services. The CIS certification was designed by Career Professionals of Canada and validated by an independent group of industry leaders in academia and providers of career services.

• The CIS is recognized by Canadian career service providers in government, academic, not-for-profit, outplacement, and private business.
• Interview coaching services feature the CIS logo on their website and marketing material to give clients confidence that they are working with a credentialed practitioner.

In order to apply for and attain your Certified Interview Strategist (CIS), you must be a registered professional member of Career Professionals of Canada. If you are not already a member, you can join membership and register for your certification at the same time.

To obtain your Certified Interview Strategist (CIS) designation you must have a minimum of 1 year full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid qualifying work experience in interview coaching. The process is straightforward:

1. Join CPC Membership.
2. Register and pay the certification application fee.
3. Study the material in the eGuide or take an approved course.
4. Submit your application within 12 months of applying for certification. Include your résumé and either a fictionalized case study, or, if you have passed an approved course with a minimum grade of 80%, your transcript/certificate of completion.
5. Pass an assessment of your submission.

To keep your certification, you need to maintain a current membership with Career Professionals of Canada.

To prepare for your certification, you will be sent a comprehensive Certification Study Guide (The Canadian Interview Strategist e-book).

This guide is a valuable resource. It thoroughly discusses current concepts and strategies to empower you to work effectively with your clients. By following this guide, you will learn how and when to apply various techniques to enable your clients to succeed in their employment interviews.

The knowledge you will acquire by studying this guide will be an asset throughout your career.

Our Employment Interview Coaching Course (CDP-103) will upgrade your Employment Interview Coaching skills and enable you to apply emotional intelligence, relationship building, value proposition, constructive feedback, and role-play in your client sessions.

If you have completed CPC’s Employment Interview Coaching Course (CDP-103) or if you have attained a certificate or diploma in an approved course (45 hours minimum), you may be granted your CIS recognition through the Course-Based Process.

You may be eligible for the CIS if you have completed training in the area of Interview Coaching. You must have a minimum of one year's experience in interview coaching and have successfully completed an approved certificate or diploma course (45 hours minimum).

To obtain and maintain your Certified Interview Strategist (CIS) designation, you must:

• Register for membership and pay the Certified Interview Strategist (CIS) application fee.
• Have a minimum of 1 year full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid qualifying work experience in interview coaching.
• Submit a copy of your course transcript or certificate of completion, along with a copy of your résumé.

After completing your self-assessment, if you have determined that you may be eligible for certification, you may request pre-approval of your eligibility for the course-based process. Email a copy of your course transcript and/or certificate of completion, along with a copy of your résumé directly to Certification@CareerProCanada.ca.

The Master Certified Interview Strategist (MCIS) credential is the exclusive standard reserved only for the top strategists in our industry.

Once you have attained your Certified Interview Strategist (CIS), you can work towards your Master Level (M-Level).

In order to apply for and attain your certification, you must be a registered professional member of Career Professionals of Canada.

To start the CIS process, all you need to do is:

• Register for CPC Membership
• Apply for your CIS Certification

If you are joining CPC as a new member, you can apply for membership and register for your certification at the same time through the CPC Application Form. If you are already a member, just email us to apply for your CIS Certification.