A certified home stager is a real estate marketing professional who has been expertly trained and credentialed by a particular home staging school. Certification simply means that the individual met the minimum requirements for graduating from a home staging course, be it online, home-study or classroom based.
Accredited home stagers have proven their commitment to the industry by working diligently to maintain a high standard of quality in their new career path and being dedicated to furthering the real estate staging business, as a whole.
This commentary delves into certification for staging professionals and what these educational credentials actually mean.
Certified Home Stager Definition
“Certified” refers to a credential bestowed by a particular home stager training institution. There is no standardized definition or requirements for home staging certification. The criteria are left up to each and every educational institution to decide for themselves.
While graduating from the very best staging educational programs is quite an accomplishment, the title of certified stager is the same as it would be for a graduate of the worst program ever designed. Unless the client is aware of the difference between the many staging courses available, the certification will mean little, since a certified stager might have received a subpar education, while an uncertified stager might be one of the best in the business, with 20 years experience under their belt.
In essence, certification is only as good as the institution or organization granting the credential.
Certified Home Stager Details
While certification has its problems in the form of a general lack of definition and standardization, it is still a goal to achieve for any aspiring staging professional.
Completing a quality educational program, which leads to certification, is a nice credential to have as part of your resume and the knowledge you will gain in training can only help you to succeed. Acquiring knowledge is never a waste of time, money or effort in any industry.
In order to make the most of a certification, make sure it is provided by a reputable school, which is well known in the industry and provides ongoing support and guidance for its graduates. This is the best way to take advantage of the considerable benefits of graduating from the very best staging courses.
Certified Home Stager Guidance
As a working home stager, use your certification credential, but do not rely on it as an exclusive means of “making it” in this competitive field. In the end, it will not be the term “certified” which will do anything to make you successful in your career. Instead, it will be your vision, work ethic, creativity and results which will have clients referring their friends and family to you for years to come.
Results speak volumes, while empty titles provide no impact at all.
Better to come in humble and over-deliver, than to promise the world and disappoint your customer. Remember this when talking about certification, especially since some clients may realize that it simply means that you have paid someone to label you with the title.