Thinking about studying for a test might evoke flashbacks of high school algebra, but many professionals might eventually have to roll up their sleeves and study again to increase their chances of career advancement. For people people, this means investigating accreditations and certificates along with the resources that can help them prepare.
According to Amy Dufrane, CEO of the HR Certification Institute (HRCI), getting a certification is a way to burnish one’s résumé and stand out from the crowd. People who get certified “do it to demonstrate that they’re committed to the profession. They know what they’re talking about. And they know what good HR means to a company.”
Why take a test? HR trade groups, such as SHRM and HRCI, as well as various universities and colleges, offer different accreditations in the field. Like traditional university degrees, they demonstrate various levels of mastery in certain disciplines. The most common are Professional in Human Resource (PHR) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certifications, which are offered by HRCI. SHRM has a different acronym for its certifications, using SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP.
According to HRCI, PHR certs deal more with the day-to-day operations of HR management, whereas SPHR delves into organizational strategy on a more granular level. HRCI offers exams year-round, while SHRM will offer tests May through July and December through February 2024 this year, according to its 2023 certification handbook.
ZipRecruiter data shows that SPHR certified professionals make an average of $94,266 annually, while those with PHR certs make $71,325. The national average for a “human resources professional” is $65,299. According to HRCI, 13,516 people took the eight different exams offered by the organization last year. The pass rate for PHR exams was 61%, while 53% passed the SPHR exam, as of December 2022.
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What about studying? If taking an exam feels daunting, rest assured: There are plenty of resources available. You can find study guides online through BenchPrep HR and HR.com, while instructor-led courses are offered through HRReview and SHRM. BenchPrepHR’s study program for SPHR certs costs $399, while resources offered by Distinctive HR range from $1,190 for a live, instructor-led webinar to $395 for a digital, multi-exam study guide. If it seems costly, HRCI offers tips for convincing employers to foot the expense.
Be warned, however, because certain tests draw on different kinds of experience, whether it’s based on hands-on work in the trenches or memorizing certain aspects of employment law. For example, an Associate Professional in Human Resources (APHR) certification is all about “understanding the alphabet soup” of certain policies, said Dufrane.
Drawing on personal experience in the field will always be beneficial, too, as the criteria for exams is ever-evolving, and based on the most pressing issues affecting the workplace, she noted. “These [tests] are built by professionals all over the world who are saying, ‘These are the things that HR professionals need to know,’” said Dufrane.—SB