If you are working as a facility manager, getting the Certified Facility Manager, the CFM certification by IFMA can be a game-changer for you. The CFM is the most widely recognized facility management credential worldwide. When you have such credentials, it shows that you have the competency and skill in facility management, in other words, it shows that you have what it takes to handle the challenges that come with managing facilities. Offered by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), this certification proves your competency, knowledge, experience, and commitment to the profession.
Earning a CFM certification isn’t just about adding letters after your name—it’s about standing out in a competitive industry. It gives employers, colleagues, and clients confidence that you are a competent facility manager, mastering all 11 core competencies of facility management. So, if you want to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry, the CFM is the credential to earn!
This guide is here to walk you through the CFM certification process, We will talk about eligibility, preparation, and the best resources to prepare for the CFM exam. If you’ve been thinking about earning this certification, you’re in the right place.
In this blog
Why Earning Your CFM Certification Is Worth It?
Facility management is a rapidly growing industry, and facility managers have to deal with all types of buildings from commercial, residential, and infrastructure projects, which requires a wide set of skills not only technical skills, therefore, the facility management profession can be a tough profession to master. That’s why certifications like the CFM matter—they show you’re ready to manage complex facility operations, manage risks and maintain a sustainable and efficient built environment.
Here are three reasons why becoming
a certified facility manager is worth it:
- Better Job Options: If you want to advance your career, the CFM certification can expand your career options. It shows employers that you have met the highest standard and certification requirement in the FM industry and that you have mastered all the 11 core competencies of facility management, therefore you can handle big challenges. Many certified professionals find themselves being considered for leadership roles or earning better salaries because of their skills.
Based on IFMA's ROI Credential Salary Report; on average, IFMA credentials lead to a US$6,000 salary increase within the first year as published on IFMA's official website.
- Credibility with Everyone You Work With; Having “CFM” after your name isn’t just a title—it’s a signal to employers, clients, and colleagues that you know what you’re doing, and that your competencies are verified and tested against what it takes to do the job. IFMA is known worldwide for setting high standards, and earning this credential proves you’re serious about your work.
- Staying Ahead of the Game in the FM Industry: The Facility management industry is changing and evolving, not only in the FM industry but the whole job market. Technology, sustainability, and new project requirements are changing how the job gets done. A CFM certification helps you stay competitive in this evolving job market.
IFMA’s Roles in Setting the Standard for Facility Management
Founded in 1980, IFMA is the largest and most recognized association for facility management professionals, with over 24,000 members in more than 100 countries. IFMA’s vision
Is to lead the future of the built environment to make the world a better place. Their mission is to advance the collective knowledge, value and growth for Facility Management professionals to perform at the highest level.
The IFMA credentials indeed took some time to become the leading credentials, but recently, IFMA certifications have gained wide recognition worldwide and professionals around the world are racing to get their credentials from IFMA.
What Our Students Say About BEI’s CFM Exam Preparation Course
Preparing for the CFM exam can feel overwhelming, and there is no full course preparation process offered in one place, normally professionals have to take on multiple learning journeys and resources to prepare for the exam, with very high training costs varying between 4,000 USD to 8,000 USD in some training centres, besides the time and effort!
The good news here, the BEI have made it easy and organized to prepare for the CFM exam, offering the most engaging and interactive CFM preparation course ever, with all that you need to pass the exam in one place. Led by senior FM experts, with hands-on experience in facility management, the course is not only a tool to pass the CFM exam, but an impressive learning journey to learn from the experts. Not only that, the fees for the comprehensive CFM exam preparation course offered by BEI are a fraction of what it costs somewhere else, thanks to the innovative system and partnership with leading institutions and experts in the market, and the collaborative learning approach in developing the course.
Students who’ve completed it often share how much it helped. Adnan Atwa said, “New concept to deliver the information, great approach, a new way to understand what the FM is. Moreover, there is a real exam simulator with real CFM exam questions. In short, just study this material and apply for your CFM exam.”
Ibrahim Gharbi said, “Great Instructor. Modernized way of learning. Interactive session. knowledge acquired is up to date and dealing with real-life problems within the market.”
Check out what the cohort says about the course:
What our Students say
Three Steps For the Certified Facility Manager Certification Process
Now you know all about IFMA and the CFM credential, let's dive in and explain how the certification process first in three easy steps:
First Step: Check Your Eligibility for the CFM Certification
The first thing you need to do is to check your eligibility for the CFM, but don’t worry, meeting the requirements is not difficult, almost anyone with experience of 3 to 5 years in facility management is eligible to apply for the CFM certification.
To be eligible for the CFM certification, candidates must meet certain educational and work experience requirements:
A- Eligibility Criteria
Individuals with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Facility Management are required to have 3 years of work experience in the field, while those without an FM-specific degree need 5 years of relevant experience.
Important Notes:
B-Ethics Requirement
All CFM applicants must meet the ethics requirement by completing the following steps:
To be eligible for the CFM certification, candidates must meet certain educational and work experience requirements:
A- Eligibility Criteria
Individuals with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Facility Management are required to have 3 years of work experience in the field, while those without an FM-specific degree need 5 years of relevant experience.
Important Notes:
- Only professional work experience is counted; internships are not eligible.
- Applicants must meet these requirements before applying for the CFM credential.
B-Ethics Requirement
All CFM applicants must meet the ethics requirement by completing the following steps:
- Ethics Assessment: This must be completed as part of the application process.
- Ongoing Requirement: Credential holders are required to complete an ethics assessment every six years or every other renewal cycle.
Second Step: Prepare for the CFM Exam
Now you know that you are eligible, and you know all about the CFM certification, you need to start preparing for the exam.
Getting ready for the CFM exam needs careful planning and the right tools. It’s not just about studying—it’s about understanding the exam structure, improving your competencies and understanding how to approach the exam questions.
The CFM exam is unique as it tests your competency, not the knowledge, it is designed to test your competence in eleven competency areas called the core competencies of facility management. so the exam questions are not about memorizing definitions or listing points, or even checking your knowledge of a subject, but it's about evaluating your ability to deal with a real FM problem and your approach to solving problems on the job.
Here is how to prepare for the CFM exam, using the BEI’s CFM Exam Preparation Course.
1. Understanding the Exam Format
Here’s what you need to know about the exam format.
- Duration of the Exam: Four Hours, which gives you plenty of time to think through each question carefully.
- Number of Questions: The test includes 180 multiple-choice questions that cover 11 core competencies, such as communication, risk management, sustainability, and finance.
- Grading: The exam uses a pass/fail system. Whether you pass or not, you’ll get a detailed score report showing your strengths and areas for improvement. And there is no announced minimum score to pass.
To know more about the exam, check out the IFMA CFM Handbook . It breaks down the core competencies and provides a clear outline of what to study.
2. Preparing for the Exam With the CFM Course
Now you have an idea of what the exam is about, you’ll need to start preparing for the exam, and the best way to do that is by taking up on a training course to study the 11 core competencies of facility management, and update your knowledge in FM. The BEI course provides you with an interactive study toolkit to prepare for the exam, with over 36 hours of video lectures provided by the elite FM experts, your preparation for the exam is made easy!
The course does not only take you through the 11 competencies of FM, but also gives you tips, and tricks on how to read, understand and answer the exam questions.
Not only that, but you get a toolkit with over 1,000 practice questions and quizzes to evaluate the effectiveness of your study and test yourself.
At last, once you complete your study, you can test yourself with the real CFM exam simulator, which is set with the same type and number of questions in the real exam, to simulate a real exam experience.
This full experience is provided in a comprehensive CFM exam preparation course, but if you have already taken a course, or you just need the practice tests, its available on a separate course with a lower cost of course, so you can use the toolkit or exam simulator without the full course.
3. Filling Knowledge Gaps
If you find areas where you need extra help, there are plenty of resources to fill in the gaps:
- IFMA’s Core Competency Courses: These courses dive deep into the 11 key areas of facility management, giving you a strong foundation in any topic you’re less familiar with.
The cost of each competency course offered on IFMA website varies between 350$ to 650$ depending on competency type, and totalling for 5,050 USD for the full material.
However, regardless of the high cost of IFMA courses, CFM exam preparation courses offered by IFMA are optional and not approved or endorsed by the IFMA certification commission, and it’s not the only or best means of preparation for the CFM exam. The IFMA Certification Commission, the governing body responsible for the development and maintenance of the CFM exam, is not involved in the development or delivery of any exam preparation materials.
- BEI CFM Exam Preparation Course: This course is more comprehensive, and cost-effective and provides an interactive tool to prepare for the exam. The resources on the BEI course provide targeted practice questions and detailed explanations, making it easier to strengthen your understanding of specific topics.
- Mentorship by an FM Expert: Many FM courses are led by expert instructors, but that is not enough to help professionals develop their careers or even pass the exam, a competency-based profession requires constant mentorship from a hands-on expert.
But the challenge is being able to speak with an expert in a one-to-one session! what makes it challenging is that those instructors are only available for a very short time, normally for five days during the live course period, and they don’t respond to student questions except within the live lecture! That’s if they do respond at all due to the sheer size of the course material., but the BEI learning model is way different than typical courses, here is how;
At BEI, we believe that having any FM expert lead the course is not enough, the CFM journey is more than just a course, it’s a career development process, and having a mentor to guide you through your career development journey is an unparalleled experience that we are keen to offer, it saves you from making a lot of career mistakes and saves a lot of time and effort It is your shortcut to success.
To make this career development journey successful, the BEI has partnered with the best and most prominent figures in the FM industry to help FM professionals grow their careers, the BEI partners with experts and thought leaders who are known for their extraordinary model of delivering the courses interactively, besides their ability to integrate technology and sustainability to the core of those courses to align with BEI mission. Not only that, the BEI instructors are available to students at all times in two ways:
1- Students can ask questions to the instructor through the platform, on the course itself and instructors typically answer within 24 hours as they receive real-time notifications
2- Students can book a mentorship session with the instructors through the course page, and ask or seek guidance related to the course material or their career advancement.
The CFM exam preparation course is taught and led by Mr Jawad Altamimi, a senior FM expert who dedicated himself to the advancement of the FM industry, a sustainability advocate and technology enthusiast who dedicated his time to guiding and mentoring FM professionals and has taught FM and built environment courses to more than 3,000 students around the world. You can book a free consultation session with Mr Jawad anytime by clicking on “ Book a Free Consultation” button.
Jawad Altamimi
Regional Director at IFMA FM Consultants Council Board (FMCC)
Third Step: Apply for the CFM exam
Once you have completed your course, you can gain more confidence by consulting the instructor through a one-to-one session to ensure you are ready and set to take the CFM exam. Once set, here is what to do;
How to Apply for the CFM Exam by IFMA?
Applying for the CFM certification is straightforward. Follow these steps using IFMA’s Credential Application and Maintenance Program (CAMP) platform:
- Create an IFMA Account: Start by creating an account on IFMA’s website. Once you’re logged in, access the CAMP platform.
- Complete the Application Form: Choose the CFM credential application and fill in details about your work experience and education to verify your eligibility.
- Submit Your Payment: After completing your application, submit the payment through CAMP. If you’re an IFMA member, be sure to check your membership status for a discounted rate.
- Schedule Your Exam: Once approved, you’ll have a 90-day window to schedule and take the exam. Use this time wisely to finalize your preparation and avoid the need for rescheduling.
Tips for Successfully Passing the CFM Exam
Approaching exam day with confidence comes down to preparation and focus. You can refer to the CFM candidate handbook for more information about the exam Here’s how to set yourself up for success:
Avoid These Common Mistakes:
- Skipping Practice Exams: Practice tests are crucial for understanding the format, improving timing, and identifying weak areas. Don’t skip this step!
- Neglecting Other Competencies: The CFM exam covers 11 core areas. Balance your study time to avoid over-focusing on one while ignoring others.
Study Smarter, Not Harder:
- Utilize the CFM Exam Toolkit: This comprehensive resource includes over 1,000 practice questions, an exam simulator, case studies, and glossaries to deepen your understanding and prepare you for every aspect of the exam.
- Use BEI’s Exam Simulator: With 180 realistic questions and up to five retakes, this tool mirrors the exam format, helping you refine your timing and boost your confidence.
- Tackle One Competency at a Time: Break your study into manageable sessions, dedicating time to each of the 11 core competencies. BEI’s Exam Preparation Toolkit ensures a focused, organized approach.
Sign up for free on the Built Environment Institute website, and view the course page to learn more about CFM, you can also view free sections of the CFM exam preparation course to get a sense of what the course offers.
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