So, I applied to be a Google Certified Trainer. I got an email this week stating that I was not selected.
I never felt completely confident that I was going to “get in” so I wasn’t totally shocked (although one of my librarian friends was–or at least pretended to be for my sake). I procrastinated on completing my application (which has multiple parts) until close to the deadline and was not completely satisfied with what I turned in, so I definitely see some areas to improve next time I apply. Oh, yeah, next time I apply. This is a given. I don’t think I can call it quits. Those qualification tests were not easy! The email I got was pretty generic, but listed some reasons that some applicants are not selected:
The application elements which we emphasize for qualifying applicants include a candidate’s background in education technology, experience in delivering high quality professional development, and mastery of Google for Education tools. We are also looking for applicants who have delivered a minimum of 20 hours of training to educational audiences in the previous 12 months. Strong applicants also demonstrate the passion necessary to positively impact education in their regions – going beyond their individual classrooms or school systems – and we’re able to see evidence of this in the application.
It is possible that you do meet these elements, but the reviewing committee was unable to verify based on the information you provided. To better your chances of being accepted in the future, take note of some common reasons that lower a candidate’s overall score.
- Not enough evidence of training materials presented. In your case study please include public links to training materials you have created. This may include sites, documents, presentations, or other videos. The reviewing committee should be able to distinguish between materials created by yourself and others.
- Insufficient training hours. Applicants should have experience delivering professional development on Google tools and be committed to delivering training in the future.
- Video did not accurately cover a feature of a Google for Education tool. We are evaluating your training ability and style in the video. Here are a couple examples of training videos: Conditional Formatting in Sheets and Advanced Image Search. Videos should be hosted on YouTube.
- Case study and/or video were poorly produced. Ensure that we can open and understand your case study and video. Poor spelling, grammar, and quality can lower the score as well. You may want to ask someone to review your material before submitting.
So, I am thankful for the feedback and will use it as a driving force to refine my application. I have not decided if I will apply next quarter (applications open July 8) or wait another quarter when I have had time to beef up my training materials (and hours). Google has changed their certification program a bit (Google Educator 1, Google Educator 2, Google Certified Trainer, & Google Certified Innovator) and changed their training center. All of that should be helpful in revamping my application, too! With failure comes the potential for learning and I intend to do just that. If you don’t follow me on Twitter, please start — I will be building and sharing some resources soon!
And I’d love to hear your failure turned success stories, too! Please share with me!