Endorsement when no local chapter

[fpg]

Hi

 I am the Administrator and HIPAA Compliance Officer in a healthcare facility, and I am extremely interested in the HCISSP certification. I will begin studying for this exam in the near future, but I am just worried about the "Endorsement step"  because there is no chapter where I live ( Puerto Rico). I understood that an (ISC)² certified professional in good standing must endorse my application. How to achieve this step of the process if there is no local chapter in my location?

Please, let me know how it works.

Thanks

[CraginS]

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@fpg wrote:

How to achieve this step of the process if there is no local chapter in my location?

Please, let me know how it works.

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Fabian,

You do not need an (ISC)2 chapter to find an endorser. Also, your endorser does not need to be certified with the specific certification you seek; in your case, that means it does not need to be someone who holds the HCISSP. 

Since CISSP is the oldest and most prevalent (ISC)2 certification, I recommend you look for nearby CISSPs. Three suggestions:

1) Contact the local ISSA chapter. Many members will be CISSP.

2) Mine LinkedIn for CISSPs in PR.

3) If there is a HIMMS chapter in PR contact them to find either CISSPs or HCISSPs.

Good luck!

[denbesten]

If you do not know anyone who holds a current (ISC)² certification, you can have (ISC)² itself endorse you.  See the endorsement page for more details.  I went this route.  It was not difficult.  

Incidentally, approaching a random CISSP or HCISPP is an unlikely path to success because we are required to attest as to your professional experience.   Unless we know you professionally, we have no grounds to make such an attestation.  Those that I have endorsed all work with me, so I had personal knowledge for at least part of the experience they were claiming.

To reduce your own stress, you might consider filling out the endorsement form today, before you have taken the exam.  Then, after you pass, click submit.

[CraginS]

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@denbesten wrote:

Incidentally, approaching a random CISSP or HCISPP is an unlikely path to success because we are required to attest as to your professional experience.   Unless we know you professionally, we have no grounds to make such an attestation. 

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William,

@fpg Fabian said, "I will begin studying for this exam in the near future." With that in mind, getting actively involved now in a chapter of ISSA or ISACA or HIMMS will give him a chance to get to know colleagues in the field. Members of such chapters can probably help prepare for the exam. By the time he is ready to take his exam, he may have the trust relationship with several CISSPs or SSCPs or other (ISC)2 certified individuals to obtain a personal endorsement.

[denbesten]

@CraginS, 

Finding a member in good standing can be hard. I had a choice of one endorser, whom I did not approach for personal reasons.  To me, endorsement by (ISC)² was invaluable.  It is important that @fpg realizes that this resource is available to him too.  And, frankly, there is little downside to having (ISC)² do it.  Yes, there is a bit more paperwork (an attestation from HR on company letterhead), but the wait time is the same either way.

Agreed that chapters for other credentials can be useful for professional networking and as "study buddies".  Indeed, it appears that the PR ISSA chapter did just that a few years ago for CISSPs. However, professional networking is probably 20x harder for @fpg than you or I.  Take for example the fact that  Puerto Rico has 43 (ISC)² credential holders in a county of 3 million population (1:70000), whereas the US ratio is about 1:3500.

Oh, and to @fpg, Godspeed.  When you attain your HCISPP, it appears that you will be the first in Puerto Rico!

[fpg]

Dr. Cragin
Thanks for your help.

[fpg]

Thanks for your advise. Really appreciate it

[SamanthaO_isc2]

Hello @fpg, 

You've received some great advice here from @denbesten & @CraginS. I wanted to let you know that our upcoming Inside (ISC)² is on Chapters, so if you are interested in learning more about chapters or just have some questions, you can post them now on this thread here. Our Chapter Relations team from the North American Region will be answering questions live on December 5th at 1pm ET.