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

Create Good Habits for CEBS Success—The 48-Hour Rule

Christine Wallace, CEBS

Studying at regular intervals helps you make steady progress on your Certified Employee Benefit Specialist® (CEBS®) learning journey. You’ll absorb new information and review prior content, cementing your employee benefits knowledge. Here are some tips to help you use the 48-hour rule to attain CEBS success.

  1. Conduct a 48-hour audit. Evaluate how you’ve used your time in the past 48 hours. Did you dedicate time to your CEBS studies? Decide how you will proceed for the next 48 hours. Continue to monitor your progress and set additional targets. Doing this on a regular basis keeps you from falling behind and allows you to flexibly adjust your study plan in real time.
  • Don’t go for more than 48 hours without working on your CEBS studies. The longer you step away from learning, the more daunting resuming your goal feels. Aiming to read just one page of the Study Guide makes it more likely you’ll continue to tackle even more content. Attaining a small goal every 48 hours creates a virtuous cycle that helps you sustain momentum.
  • Every three to four modules, review what you’ve learned for 48 hours. Last-minute cramming is stressful and ineffective. Aim to review course content at spaced intervals to enhance your retention. Scan through the textbook, Study Guide, and any notes you’ve taken to refresh your memory. Are you able to define Key Terms from each module in your own words and provide examples? Create a learning log for each module, where you note what you’re having difficulty remembering or need more practice with. Regularly review the learning logs you’ve created to keep practicing what’s most challenging for you. When it’s time to do an extensive final review before your CEBS exam, you’ll have an easier and more effective experience with the learning logs you’ve created to refer to. 

If you have any questions about Study Materials or CEBS exams, 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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