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After the Certified Sommelier exam: jobs and next steps
What the Certified Sommelier title can lead to, the roles each Court links to it, how to use your title, how to keep learning, and when to aim for the Advanced.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
4 min read
The short answer: the Certified is the Court's main working qualification for sommeliers. It shows an employer that your knowledge, tasting and service have been examined. The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe links it to roles such as senior sommelier and assistant head sommelier. From here: get floor experience, keep tasting and studying, and when you are ready, aim for the Advanced.
Congratulations, first of all. I spent 2013 to 2021 in fine dining and on cruise ships, first with Cunard, then as head sommelier with Disney, and I passed the Advanced in 2019. Here is how I would use the Certified today.
The jobs it can lead to
Both Courts name the kind of roles a Certified Sommelier fills. Read them as directions, not promises: experience and the right employer matter as much as the pin.
| Where | Roles the Courts name |
|---|---|
| Restaurant, in Europe's career pathway | Senior sommelier, assistant head sommelier |
| Restaurant, in the Americas' exam guide | Lead server, captain, assistant floor sommelier, bartender, manager |
| Beyond the restaurant (Americas) | Winery tasting room, lead retail floor salesperson, distributor representative, hotel food and beverage leadership |
- Restaurant, in Europe's career pathway
- Roles the Courts nameSenior sommelier, assistant head sommelier
- Restaurant, in the Americas' exam guide
- Roles the Courts nameLead server, captain, assistant floor sommelier, bartender, manager
- Beyond the restaurant (Americas)
- Roles the Courts nameWinery tasting room, lead retail floor salesperson, distributor representative, hotel food and beverage leadership
Sources: the Court's own career pathways, from its 2026–27 prospectus, and the Americas' Certified exam guide in its Resource Library. For what each rank does day to day, see sommelier levels, from commis to wine director; for pay, how much a sommelier makes.
Use your title, correctly
- Write it in full: Certified Sommelier, Court of Master Sommeliers, with the year. On a CV, a wine list or LinkedIn.
- Initials: the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe allows CS. It does not allow “Certified Master Sommelier” or CMS after your name: the word Master belongs to the Diploma.
- The logo is legally protected. Ask the Court's board in writing before you use it.
Get the experience that matters
- Work the floor. The Advanced in Europe is intended for people with extensive wine service experience, and the Americas ask Advanced applicants for restaurant experience. Every service is study.
- Ask to help with the list: ordering, cellar counts, pricing, staff tastings. That is the work of the roles above you.
- Taste with a team. Blind tasting with colleagues keeps your grid sharp between exams.
- Look beyond your city. Hotels, cruise lines and restaurant groups hire sommeliers internationally. If you're curious about life at sea, read working as a sommelier on a cruise ship.
Keep learning
- Build a weekly habit. A little every day keeps the Certified knowledge alive while you build towards the next level.
- Pick a specialism: a region, Champagne, Sherry, sake. Depth in one area makes you useful and memorable.
- Consider WSET alongside. The Court's own career chart places WSET Level 3 beside the Certified and the WSET Diploma beside the Advanced. They don't replace a Court level, but they deepen your theory.
- Learn the business. Pour costs, margins and stock: the numbers behind the wine list are a big part of the jobs above you.
When to aim for the Advanced
The Certified is the entry ticket to the Advanced Sommelier, and the step is big. The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe warns that the level is significantly higher and needs considerable study; its course is five days, with the last two and a half given to the exams. In the Americas, applications open on 1 October and close on 1 November, and applicants sit a knowledge assessment at a test centre first.
- You are ready to start when you work with wine every day and your Certified theory is still fresh.
- Give it time. Plan for a long study period, with tasting and service practice every week, not a few months of cramming.
- Read the format first: how to prepare for the Advanced.
For daily theory practice towards the Advanced, SOMM DIGI AI has 3,000+ exam-prep questions and quizzes on any region.
Questions people ask
What jobs can a Certified Sommelier get?
The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe links the Certified to roles such as senior sommelier and assistant head sommelier. The Americas also name winery tasting rooms, retail, distribution and hotel food and beverage roles.
Can I write CMS after my name as a Certified Sommelier?
No. The Court of Master Sommeliers Europe allows “Certified Sommelier” or “CS”, not “Certified Master Sommelier” or “CMS”.
What comes after the Certified Sommelier?
The Advanced Sommelier, then the Master Sommelier Diploma. The Certified is required to enter the Advanced.
Do I need more experience before the Advanced?
Yes. In Europe the Advanced is intended for people with extensive wine service experience; in the Americas, applicants need restaurant experience and must pass a knowledge assessment first.
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