MCIM or not?

The last couple of months I have been following up a number of leads on people who claim to be members of The Chartered Institute of Marketing and using MCIM, when they are not and should not. I think most people are not aware of the rules about membership and so I thought it might be of interest to talk about them here.

You can only use the letters MCIM if you have been awarded them by The Institute and are a current member. To find out if you are eligible for MCIM status please contact membership@cim.co.uk

Most students when they start their qualifications with us think that DipM is the end game, but really - and I don't want to demotivate you - it's just the start. Qualifying is the first post, then you need to build on that with relevant experience, and then you need to keep up-to-date. Those people who passed some time ago and have let their membership lapse are in danger of being left behind in this fast-paced industry and that is why the institute insist on MCIM being the mark of a current and up-to-date marketer.

To those members that come across a supposed MCIM, feel free to pass their details on to me and we can check them out. Don't let them sully your good name, hard work and dedication to the marketing profession.

Joining CIM

I am delighted to announce that Sandy Lindsay, formerly of the Marketing Society, is joining CIM North West. You will hear more about that in the weeks to come but, it has got me on a train of thought from discussions with people about joining The Chartered Institute of Marketing that I felt should be aired in this medium.

The perception is that you cannot join as a professional member of The Institute without our qualification. That is not true. You can join The Institute without any prior qualifications or experience and enjoy our membership benefits, but you would not be able to use any letters after your name such as ACIM or MCIM. However, you can apply to join as a professional member with a range of qualifications and experience. So, if this has been stopping you in the past then get in touch today. Our Membership Services Team will be able to advise you on the best route to membership. http://www.cim.co.uk/ or call 01628 427120.