Is the REA certification worth it for breaking into real estate analysis?

I'm coming from a finance background and considering the real estate analyst certification as a credential to pivot into commercial property analysis. Most job postings I see for junior analyst roles don't explicitly require it, but several mention it as a plus. I'm wondering whether it actually moves the needle at the interview stage or whether a strong DCF model in your portfolio matters more.

The real estate certification content seems to cover financial modeling, property valuation, market research, and investment analysis — all areas I've touched in corporate finance but haven't applied specifically to real estate assets. The cross-over knowledge should help, but I'm concerned about the domain-specific terminology and cap rate math that practitioners use daily.

I've been running through the REA exam prep resources to get a sense of the question depth. The valuation questions are more rigorous than I expected for an entry-level credential.

For anyone who hired real estate analysts or made the pivot themselves — how much does the real estate exam credential actually move the needle compared to having relevant deal experience?