topic Re: Put provisional pass on resume? in Become A Member

Put provisional pass on resume?

Archo — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 23:23:34 GMT

Hello,

I received my provisional pass on the CISSP exam today, and I wanted to know if that's something I can include on a resume. With the 8+ week wait for the endorsement verificaion and review process I'd like to include the pending CISSP on my resume (of course listing it as provisional or pending).

Looking at the logo guidelines in makes it clear that I can't claim to have the CISSP certification, but it doesn't specifically call out if you can list a provisional pass on a resume. I'm not finding anything concrete that says doing so would violate ToS.

If I need to wait the 8 weeks to get everything approved and official that's fine. I'm just excited and looking forward to being able to include the CISSP to my resume.

Thanks!

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

Misterroboto — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 05:20:51 GMT

Are you going to claim the associate or go for the full endorsement? On the resume you should have the date align with the cert, so a recruiter should be able to deduce your situation from there. What counts is the meat and potatoes experience in the resume.

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

Archo — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 13:34:07 GMT

I'm going for the full CISSP. I have 15+ years experience, and I have someone lined up for the endorsement, so I'm not too worried about getting through the rest of it.

My hope was to list on my resume (LinkedIn, etc.) that I've passed the exam, and now I am working through the rest of the process. It sounds like it can be 8 weeks to get everything finalized, so I'm just trying to find what the rules are about stating where I am in the process. So far all I've only found things about misrepresenting status, like claiming to have the CISSP even though it's not finished.

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

Flyslinger2 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 14:57:13 GMT

My personal practice was to NOT modify a thing until it was officially official. I'm a bit of a pragmatist in that I want 100% certainty that it is granted before I change documents/websites.

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

Early_Adopter — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 16:04:06 GMT

Well as an associate I believe you can’t disclose which exam you have passed, so ‘pending certification’ on a CV might well not be a good idea, as it might be construed as claim to certification that relies on the reader making an inference.

Perhaps you could add ‘Currently pursuing CISSP’? This would let you get picked up by HR filters and I don’t see it as being in anyway contentious and might even be good to talk about in an interview - al least it gives the old and bold a chance to ramble on “ tut, tut when I were a lad, my CISSP certification would take at least 25 years to come through after submitting the endorsement which was only allowed from the head of the of a nuclear capable country and As well as an exam pass, and experience you were required to submit a your own death certificate...”

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

emb021 — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:00:51 GMT

While all the certifying bodies I known of (ISC2, ISACA, etc) encourage folks to post or share that they passed an exam on social media, they do NOT want you to put this on your resume as it may give the false impression that you have the certification when you don't (yet). Same for your LinkedIn profile.

Until you receive the email that confirms you now have the certification, don't do it. In fact, you can get in trouble for this.

I also discourage people from saying they "are working on the CISSP" or the like on their resume.

As to the Associate of ISC2. It doesn't indicate which test you passed. You can certainly tell a potential employer that you passed and what you passed, but that's it.

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

toastedpenguin — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 19:04:21 GMT

This topic appears to come up a lot and I had the same question when I passed the exam in early January. This thread should provide some guidance - https://community.isc2.org/t5/Certifications/CISSP-Endorsement-Wait/td-p/15458

Hope this helps!

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

Archo — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 04:08:58 GMT

I went through that thread, and a few others, and I haven't seen anything that looked like an official answer, or that referenced any published guidelines. At best, I've seen that you can't claim to have completed the certificate when it's not completed, but nothing pertaining to stating that it is in progress.

This is the first exam that I've taken where there was a significant gap between the exam and the official conferment of the certification. The closest I've come to something similar would be something like the CCNP, where I could list that I'd passed specific exams, and was working toward completing the set.

I'm at a point where I'm starting the process of looking for a job, and I'd like to be able to convey on a resume that I've passed the exam, and I'm working through the endorsement process. However, I also don't want to risk something that would put me on the wrong side of the ToS.

I am thinking of putting something like this: CISSP in progress (exam passed, pending endorsement and verification)

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

AlecTrevelyan — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 13:28:54 GMT

The thread that @toastedpenguin linked contains a link to this thread:

https://community.isc2.org/t5/Member-Support/Waiting-for-endorsement-Am-i-quot-Associate-quot/m-p/8476

Where @Melleive had contacted ISC2 and been advised what was permissible to say in terms of provisionally passing an exam while awaiting endorsement.

The actual post is here:

https://community.isc2.org/t5/Member-Support/Waiting-for-endorsement-Am-i-quot-Associate-quot/m-p/8476#M2963

Although, you should read the full thread for context and written confirmation from @amandavanceISC2 on the correct verbiage.

I was in the same boat a while ago and did exactly this.

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

Archo — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 15:22:35 GMT

Awesome! thanks @AlecTrevelyan!

It would be nice if that information was put in the logo guidelines or something. With the 8-week wait for such a valuable certification I would expect most people have the same question, and there's not a clear answer that's easy to find.

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

emb021 — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 19:16:30 GMT

Am surprised it takes 8 weeks.

When I got my ISC2 and ISACA certs, I saw they took 4 weeks to process. I think in one case it was 3 weeks.

With ISACA, when you pass their tests you have 5 YEARS to submit paperwork to get the certification. ISACA has made it clear that you are fine to share out on social media that you've passed, but that is NOT to go on your resume or LinkedIn profile as it could give the wrong impression you have the cert. Would like ISC2 would be the same.

Not sure on other certifying bodies, but others expect the application BEFORE you take the exam (PMI, DRI, and maybe EC-Council does this).

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

AlecTrevelyan — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 14:37:54 GMT

It was around 4 weeks up until a few months ago. I won't go into the reasons why it increased, but it went up to over 9 weeks. Thankfully, it is now steadily making its way back down. I recently had an endorsement completed in just over 7 weeks. Hopefully they will get back to 4 weeks again in the not too distant future!

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

hsehdar — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 09:03:11 GMT

Having provisionally passed yesterday, I was sailing in the same boat today when updating my CV.

Even though this thread is more than four years old, a few thoughts that struck me are worth noting here.

A candidate may be in any one or all of the scenarios below.
- Provisionally passed
- Endorsement is yet to start
- Endorsement is in progress
- The certificate is yet to be certified.
It is about integrity because using "certified" without the certificate is unreasonable.
Having studied for any ISC2 certification, the code of ethics is known to the candidate; the fourth canon can be aptly applied in thoughts and actions for these scenarios.
As a benefit of the doubt, people may ask ISC2. However, thinking like a board member, there is no need for ISC2 to document this as reasoned above.

At the same time, using "provisionally passed" is not questionable by anyone because the candidate's result is official. When required further explanation, the meaning of "provisionally passed" may be shared for clarity.

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

Early_Adopter — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:14:27 GMT

@hsehdarI don’t think your logic follows.

You can be a candidate, associate or a member.

You can put these on your CV, I’d even go so far as to say it’s OK to verbally really someone you passed and are awaiting your membership or associate status.

I don’t think that you can put provisionally passed CISSP or similar on your CV, as you would be creating an expectation that you were certified by or an associate of ISC2 before this was official.

If someone were to make a report/complaint to ISC2 I think there is probably a decent chance of disqualification from certification or association by/with ISC2 at least for a period of time.

You’d be better off waiting until you are officially informed that you are certified or an associate by ISC2 and can use the appropriate marks/make the claims.

https://www.isc2.org/policies-procedures/member-policies

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

hsehdar — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 03:39:48 GMT

@Early_Adopter Thank you. I agree.

IMHO, ISC2 does not clearly state the context of using the word "provisional" because the printed letter given at the test centre has it. It is not in the mail. So, it is to be wisely discretion by the passed candidate. As mentioned previously, further explanation may be given to non-ISC2 acquaintances.

All these subtle materials or points are a good test of the morals and ethics of individuals.

I appreciate you giving your time to read and comment.

I learned something from you.

Re: Put provisional pass on resume?

Early_Adopter — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 03:54:17 GMT

No worries, “…good things come to those who wait…”

I think the chances of someone first seeing it on a CV then putting in a complaint rather than just pouting it out(most people are reasonable) is low - however better safe than sorry.

If you search for some of the public howls of anguish from some of those who feel(rightly or wrongly) that they were wronged or unfairly impacted by the clean up from the proctored online exam trial you can see that it’s best to not have any issues.