CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) CEBS Study Tips and Resources The CEBS Journey

Create Good Habits for CEBS Success—Reframing Setbacks

Christine Wallace, CEBS

Part of the learning process is overcoming setbacks. During your Certified Employee Benefit Specialist® (CEBS®) learning journey, you might find it difficult to establish good study habits. Analyzing what is most challenging for you can help you develop a strategy to shift the paradigm so you’re a better learner than ever! Here are some tips to help you reframe some setbacks CEBS learners can experience:

  1. Problem: I need a bit of motivation to get started. I keep procrastinating on my CEBS studies.

Solution: Achieving a big goal is more attainable when you divide it into smaller actionable steps and have deadlines to complete them. Consider enrolling in a CEBS Online Study Group With Instructor Support. Follow the syllabus to make steady progress. In just 12 weeks, you’ll feel more prepared for exam day!

  1. Problem: My schedule is irregular. I’m having trouble forming a consistent study routine.

Solution: Not all things in life require a set routine. Aim to have a certain number of study sessions each week for a set amount of time. For example, you could set a goal of having three 30-minute study sessions and four 15-minute study sessions in a week. You can evaluate your schedule daily to plan study time, fitting it in whenever you can.

  1. Problem: I’m nervous about the CEBS exam. I struggle with test anxiety.

Solution: Reduce your feelings of uncertainty by utilizing the practice exam for your course. The practice exam is intended to help you prepare for the CEBS exam by presenting an overview of the content in your course and familiarizing you with the format of the examination. In the practice exam, you’ll be exposed to the same types of questions that appear on the national CEBS examination. 

Accessing the practice exam is​ also a valu​able tool in assessing your understanding and retention of the course content. You can take the exam as many times as you wish, with immediate results indicating areas that may need additional study, along with page reference sources and the correct responses. Having an understanding of the format of questions you’ll see in the national exam will help you feel calmer and more confident.

If you have any questions about study materials or CEBS exam transfers, please reach out to our CEBS Customer Service team at cancebs@ifebp.org for assistance with the Canadian curriculum or cebs@ifebp.org for assistance with the U.S. curriculum.

Christine Wallace, CEBS

Director, CEBS Educational Services Favorite Foundation Product: The CEBS designation gives you a comprehensive understanding of group health and retirement plan design. It’s a career game changer that bolsters your knowledge and skills. The ISCEBS webcasts are also great–they feature cutting edge topics presented by industry experts to keep your knowledge current and even give you credit for staying CEBS Compliant! Benefits-related Topics that Interest Her Most: Behavioral finance, workplace wellness programs, and the future of work. We’re in an exciting time with many changes and the Foundation is a wonderful resource to keep abreast of what’s next. Personal Insight: Christine loves spending time with her daughter and being in nature. She’s also constantly working on fiber art or jewelry projects–she always has an embroidery hoop or a good book in her purse.

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