A CSPO Certification is an easy certification to obtain, so when we ask is CSPO hard, the answer is not really. According to Indeed.com, CSPO offers many benefits, such as the renown of participating in Scrum classes, a competitive salary, and helping a Scrum worker to understand the foundations of Scrum business. Certification won’t be difficult for those who are adept at taking notes and learning from experience.
There are numerous ways to study for the CSPO as well, with one of the better platforms being LinkedIn Learning, where you can find various courses to help you prep for your certification, with one course in particular that looked worth a look listed here.
So while CSPO sounds easy, gaining the certification still requires a healthy amount of work! Let’s look at what a CSPO is, how getting a CSPO is accomplished, and finally, what makes it easier to obtain than some of the other Scrum certifications.
Related: LinkedIn Learning Review
Is CSPO hard?
A CSPO is a type of certification that Scrum Alliance offers. “CSPO” stands for “Certified Scrum Product Owner.” A Product Owner is a leader within a Scrum Team whose specific objective is to oversee any project’s stages of development and communicate between the Scrum Team and the stakeholders investing in the project.
The certification lets clients looking to hire a Product Owner to know that the Product Owner is an expert on conducting Scrum-related business. It also broadcasts to anyone noticing the certification on your resume that you are great at working with a team and making that team’s product the best version it can be.
How to Get CSPO Certification
Is CSPO hard?
CSPO Certification has many advantages, such as gaining a higher CSPO salary and being awarded a professional credential. Let’s take a look at how to get a CSPO Certification.
Paying for the CSPO Certification
Is CSPO hard?
The Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) who teaches you will charge you according to the price of their class and the certification itself. Remember that you’ll also need to pay to renew your certification in later years. Pricing can be found on the Scrum Alliance website.
However, it is typical for the training to be at least $1000.
Attend a CSPO Course
Is CSPO hard?
The good news is that there aren’t any prerequisites or special requirements to achieve before you can begin the CSPO process. However, you do need to attend a CSPO Class.
Related: Scrum Alliance Course Search
These classes are either held in person or online. The in-person classes typically take two days, a division of sixteen hours. On the other hand, the online class is held live and lasts about 14 hours.
The classes are taught by Certified Scrum Trainers (CST.) Once you’re done taking the course, gaining a CSPO Certificate is as simple as printing it out!
Enjoy the Benefits of CSPO Certification
Is CSPO hard?
A person who successfully obtains a CSPO certification can enjoy continued benefits in a professional capacity. For example, once you’ve received your certification, your two years as a member of the Scrum Alliance begins!
These two years allow you to join several different online groups of peers on social networks. You can also get discounts on events held worldwide, such as the Regional or Global Scrum Gatherings.
A member of the Scrum Alliance can also post and search for employment opportunities on Agile Careers.com, a platform for like-minded individuals who believe in growing their work experiences and skillsets to accommodate more than one type of career.
However, these benefits don’t have to end your Product Owner experience. Continue exploring the journey of a CSPO-certified leader below!
Continue Your Training
Is CSPO hard?
The best way to expand on the two-day class that helped you earn your certification is to get experience with a trainer.
Make sure this training provider is a good fit for you, having done the job themselves and capable of communicating with you helpfully and transparently.
Certified Scrum Trainers (CSTs) must be certified and authorized by the Scrum Alliance in order to benefit you as a new CSPO.
Many training methods after certification involve group activities to strengthen your ability to work with teams and manage others better, so don’t be afraid to jump into the games and training activities with both feet!
Renew your CSPO Certification
Is CSPO hard?
One of the more challenging aspects of being a Certified Scrum Product Owner is that the certification doesn’t last forever. To maintain it, you must renew your training.
This is important because CSPO jobs require you always to keep learning about new projects and teams and new ways to get excellent work done efficiently.
Renewing your CSPO requires you to not only have 20 Scrum Educational Units every two years but pay a renewal fee of $100.
The good news is that SEUs are easy to gain. Simply check the Scrum Alliance website to learn how you can either participate in an event, volunteer to aid your particular community or learn more about your CSPO position.
Advanced Certifications
Is CSPO hard?
One of the reasons getting a CSPO is considered easy is because it is the most basic of Scrum Product Owner certifications.
The other two levels, Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) and Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO), are considered much harder to get.
Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO)
An Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner certification can be obtained after one year of CSPO experience, but an exam is required.
Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO)
When you’ve accomplished not only the CSPO but an additional two years of experience with the A-CSPO, then you can complete yet another difficult exam in hopes of achieving the Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner.
Conclusion
The advantages of learning what the Certified Scrum Product Owner role has to offer, especially in the context of gaining experience on a Scrum team, far outweigh the difficulties it may take to obtain it.
After all, no prerequisites are required to start the process, so anyone can be a Certified Scrum Product Owner! Not only that, but when compared to the Advanced Scrum certifications, which require several years of experience in addition to arduous exams, the CSPO can undoubtedly be considered easy.
A CSPO is as simple as pursuing a certification using the Scrum Alliance website, attending a two-day class, printing out your certification, and learning how to work with teams under a certified trainer!
Hey, I’m Kris Taylor. I’m a Learning and Development professional currently in the healthcare field, with over 8 years of experience in the area of corporate education. I have created numerous instructional content for various corporate projects including eLearning, in-person facilitation, and virtual training across a wide variety of learning interventions and sectors. On Taughtup, I discuss topics ranging from how to succeed through K-12 to college all the way to instructional design tips for L&D designers.
