CRM Workshop is Full

I think back to the discussions at the ARMA Calgary board level - "Should we do a CRM workshop or not??"  I knew that there were a couple of interested people but that was about it.  Now the workshop is completely full!  Congrats and thanks to all of those that registered.  If you were thinking about it and waited too long - I'm sorry.  Please let me know one way or another and it will help to guide us in how soon we offer the workshop again.

And now I will take this opportunity to soapbox (cue heavy sighs).  I have always felt that the CRM designation, and the knowledge and experience that comes with it, is forward looking, not backwards looking.  If you wear your CRM designation as badge of the bygone era of paper management, you're unfortunately missing its point.  The CRM prepares us for the future, and for the storm of information change that we're already in.  There was no way to predict the impact that personal computers would have on information management in the 80's and 90's.  There was no way to predict the impact of the internet in the 2000's, or of social media or mobile computing more recently.  There is no way to predict what else is coming around the corner - be it AI or quantum computing or blockchain or something else.  What we DO know is this:  organizations need people who understand the fundamental risks and requirements of information, no matter its form, and how those risks and requirements are managed.  I constantly go back to the generally-accepted recordkeeping principles and consider how they are fundamental to all eras of IM.

Soapboxing is done... go forth and manage. :)

Wayne Hoff, CRM, IGP
ICRM Liaison
ARMA Calgary
icrmrep@armacalgary.org

CRM Preparation Workshop Confirmed for April 25

Yes, you readers of the CRM blog get the inside scoop!!  The earlier rumour has come true, and the CRM prep workshop is confirmed for April 25.

We're trying to make it as accommodating as possible.  You can stay for Parts 1 to 5 (the morning), Part 6 (the afternoon), or stay the whole day for the whole workshop.  You can also take just the CRA prep - this is Parts 2 to 4 - which we will be covering first thing in the morning, at a reduced rate.  So the agenda looks like this (times are subject to change):

8:00 - Parts 2-4 (CRA preparation)
10:00 - Parts 1 and 5
12:00 - Lunch
12:30 - Part 6
4:30 - Adjournment

Part 6 is all on its own because, of course, it is a written exam.  And the afternoon will include an orientation and strategies for Part 6, following by an actual exam session:  you will be given an exam question and have 2 hours to create a response.  All responses will receive a detailed feedback report, provided by an actual Part 6 exam marker.  (Yes, that person is me.)  Prices are currently set to range from $70 for the CRA prep to $125 for the whole day.  Perhaps I'm biased, but it's a heck of a deal.

The registration hasn't been set up yet, but by all means please set the day aside.  Hope you can make it!  if you have any questions by all means ask away.

Wayne Hoff, CRM, IGP
ICRM Liaison
ARMA Calgary
icrmrep@armacalgary.org


* * * * * * * * * * *  Late breaking bulletin!!  * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The announcement from ARMA Calgary just came out this morning.  You can find full details and a registration link for the workshop here.

ICRM now providing for ESL candidates

Perhaps this has been in place for a long time and I just never noticed it before - but I'm quite pleased to see that the ICRM provides accommodations for candidates with English as a second language.  Their website reads:

If English is not the Candidate’s native language, they are entitled to an additional 20 minutes of test time for each of Parts 1 through 5, and an additional one hour of test time for Part 6. Candidates requiring this additional time should request approval from the Regent, Exam Administration and Grading (examadmin@icrm.org) prior to registering for an exam.

That's good news for ESL students who may have all kinds of RIM experience and knowledge, but are hampered by the fact that the exam is conducted in English.  This is especially true of part 6, which is of course the written response.  (As a former English teacher, I know well the frustrations of ESL students who knew their material but struggled to get their thoughts onto paper.)

Has any candidate taken advantage of this accommodation?  I'd be interested in hearing about your experience.  Please comment below or email me at icrmrep@armacalgary.org.

Wayne Hoff, CRM, IGP
ICRM Liaison
ARMA Calgary

What order do the exams have to be taken in?

I received a question today from someone potentially interested in the CRM preparation workshop.  Her question was this:

"Do we have to complete the CRM exams in order from 1 to 6?"

That's an excellent question, and it warrants a more public response for those others that might also be wondering.  The short answer is:  no.  The longer answer comes below.

• There is only one restriction:  parts 1 to 5 must be completed and passed before you can write part 6.
• Parts 1 to 5 can be taken and/or passed in any order.  Some candidates write the "easiest" ones first (i.e. what's easiest for them) and then take a little extra time studying for the harder ones.  For example, if you're a techie, you might take Part 5 (Technology) first and fly through it.  If that's not your strong suit, maybe you save it for last and take extra time to study.
• Candidates that want only the Certified Records Analyst (CRA) designation are only required to take parts 2 to 4.  They do not write parts 1, 5, or 6.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to comment to the post or email me at icrmrep@armacalgary.org.

Wayne Hoff, CRM, IGP
ICRM Liaison
ARMA Calgary

Possible CRM Workshop in April

First, a happy new year to everyone.  I hope you managed to get a break of some sort over the holidays and are refreshed to tackle 2017 with renewed energy.

There is the potential for a CRM workshop on April 25th, dependent upon an expression of interest.  The workshop will follow the ICRM curriculum and will cover all 6 exams, with half of the day devoted to Part 6.  It is a great day for CRM candidates - not only do you get some formal exam preparation, you also network with others who have the same concerns and challenges as you, and whose questions and experiences fit with yours.  Give it some thought!

Please respond to this blog post or email me at icrmrep@armacalgary.org if you are interested.

Wayne Hoff, CRM, IGP
ARMA Calgary ICRM Liaison

Making the Leap to IGP

Last week I made the leap and took the Information Governance Professional (IGP) exam.  Drum roll please:  I passed.  Yay for me.

The experience was good because a) I had to study, a lot, and b) I had to suffer the stress and indignity of a professional examination.  Let me regale with you some detail on that:

• I carried a 40-pound book to and from work for weeks, just so I could read it and study it on the bus
• At the exam, I had to (literally) pull my pockets out to show there were nothing in them
• My glasses were studied for a full 30 seconds for signs of hidden notes
• I got the last testing station in the test room, tenth out of ten computers, right beside the door, which opened about.... one thousand four hundred and fifty times during my 2.5 hours there.  Grr.

But I did say that the experience was good.  Why?  Because I learned a lot and I feel better prepared to tackle not just the day-to-day but the vision for the long term as well.

And it all brought me back to six years ago, when I wrote all of my CRM exams.  If you haven't written one recently, yes, the security is a bit tighter still.  (It's all in the name of preventing cheating, so I accept it as a given.)  That loooooong walk from the computer to the front desk, where they hand you the piece of paper that says either "Pass" or, well, something else.  It's a stressful walk.

Any exam stories to tell?  Horror stories or glory stories or something in between?  Please feel free to respond in the comments.

Wayne Hoff, CRM, IGP
ARMA Calgary ICRM Liaison

ICRM Offers a new certification: Certified Records Analyst

The ICRM has added a brand new certification - the Certified Records Analyst.  Essentially it is the same as the Certified Records Manager (CRM) designation, but it's attained by passing only Parts 2, 3, and 4 of the CRM exam.  For some candidates it may be a stepping stone to the CRM, or applicants may be satisfied with the CRA credential on its own.  If you're interested, let me know, and I'll help get you set up.

I was unable to find the press release on the ICRM website (which has a brand new look, BTW, a welcome departure from their old website).  So I've copied the text to this post, with thanks to Laurie Carpenter who posted it to the Records Management listserv (https://lists.ufl.edu/cgi-bin/wa?LIST=RECMGMT-L).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AT: ICRM Annual Business Meeting: September 24, 2016

The ICRM launches its third professional certification:

Certified Records Analyst (CRA)

The CRA provides another opportunity to be a member of the ICRM.  By achieving the  CRA designation, records management professionals demonstrate a solid foundation in  Records and Information Management (RIM); potentially on their way to attaining the  CRM.  CRA’s are knowledgeable and experienced in active and inactive records systems.   A CRA’s knowledge includes such areas as electronic records and information; regulatory  compliance-related requirements; the lifecycle management of records and information;  and more. 

This certification provides an opportunity for immediate certification to those existing  CRM candidates that have already successfully passed Parts 2-4 of the examinations;  while still retaining the ability to continue on to the CRM.  The CRA allows newly educated  and experienced records management professionals the ability to become a member of  the Institute; thereby improving their opportunities for career advancement and  increasing the number of educated and credentialed millennials to meet the demand for  RIM and Information Governance (IG) positions in the global marketplace.

“We are excited to deliver the CRA certification to the RIM profession!  This new  certification follows our time-tested approach and allows for more professionals to obtain  a value-added RIM credential while promoting the continuance of their individual  development.  We fully expect many to use the CRA as a spring-board to achieving their  CRM over a timeline that meets their individual needs.” – Brice Sample, CRM – President

A CRA may vote in elections of the ICRM, may not hold office but can serve as a member  or chairman of an ICRM Commission, Committee or Taskforce, may attend the ICRM  Business Meeting and may attend the ICRM Annual Reception held annually at the ARMA  Conference. Further, CRAs are granted access the ICRM website, the membership  directory and all publications and information provided as a benefit of ICRM membership.

Candidates for the CRA, upon submitting an online application to the ICRM, will be  approved to sit for Parts 2-4 if they properly document achievement of a 4-year  (bachelor’s degree) from an accredited institution of higher education and also  demonstrate one-year of professional Records and Information Management (RIM)  experience.  Alternately, one year of professional Records and Information Management  (RIM) experience can be substituted for each year of college education.

Founded in 1975, the Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM) is an international  certifying organization of and for professional records managers.  The Institute confers  three designations: the Certified Records Manager (CRM); the Certified Records  Manager/Nuclear Specialist (CRM/NS); and now the Certified Records Analyst (CRA).

Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM)  1450 Western Avenue, Suite 101  Albany, NY 12203 (877) 244-3128 (US & Canada)  (518) 694-5362  Fax: (518) 463-8656  E-mail: admin@icrm.org or go to website: www.icrm.org

Contact: Nick De Laurentis, CRM, IGPRegent, Applicant and Member Relations
Institute of Certified Records ManagersEmail: certification_standards@icrm.org