Understanding HR

Certifications and
How to Prepare
for Them
HR.com Professional Certification
Preparatory Program
supporting HRCI & SHRM
PRESENTERS

Brandon Wellsbury
Certification Programs Manager

Jennifer Marants
Lead Program Instructor
 Who You Need to Know
• HR.com & IHR
• HRCI
• SHRM

AGENDA
About the Professional
Certification Exams
• Certifying Bodies
• Exam Breakdowns
• Eligibility Requirements
• Dates, Fees, and Deadlines
40 Minutes
• How to Apply for Certifications

How to Get Ready for the

Exam
• Why You Should Get Certified
• Available Preparatory Programs
Who You Need to
Know
ABOUT HR.COM www.hr.com

Since 1999 HR.com has grown to 280,000 members

serving as the largest social networking destination for
Human Resources Professionals.

What You’ll Find @ HR.com

• Educational Webcasts
• HRCI Exam Prep & Recertification Credits
• Online Publications “Excellence Essentials”
• Personal Excellence App
• LEAD Conference
• Whitepapers
• Expert Finder
• Job Boards
• And more….
 HR Certification Exam Training . HRCI Recertification
aPHR™ – PHR® –SPHR® PHR® – SPHR®- GPHR®- PHR-CA®
SHRM-CP® – SHRM-CP®

•Online Instructor Course •1200 + HRCI eLearning Credits

•Self-Paced eLearning Course •3000 + HRCI Approved Webcasts
•Self-Study Tools •100 + HRCI Strategic / Business

www.hr.com/prepcourse www.hr.com/recertification
CERTIFYING BODIES
aPHR
Associate Professional in
SHRM-CP
Human Resources Exam
Certified Professional Exam
PHR
Professional in Human
SHRM-SCP
Resources Exam
Senior Certified Professional
ExamSPHR
Senior Professional in Human
Resources Exam
About
HRCI
HRCI www.hrci.org
The Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI)
is an American certifying organization for the HR profession.
HRCI administers a variety of exams for certification as
acknowledgement of field expertise and distinction.
HRCI has certified over 145,400 HR Professionals.
Global leader in professional credentialing for the HR
profession.
TYPES OF HRCI CERTIFICATION
aPHR™ Associate Professional in Human Resources

PHR® Professional in Human Resources

USA
SPHR® Senior Professional in Human Resources

PHR-CA® California Certification

GPHR® Global Professional in Human Resources

INTL PHRi® Professional in Human Resources - International

SPHRi® Senior Professional in Human Resources - International

HRCI EXAM STRUCTURE
aPHR PHR SPHR
Designed for Focuses on the technical Focuses on a higher
Functional Area professionals who are and operational aspects of end of professional
just beginning their HR HR practices, laws and design and planning
career journey regulations
Business Management
& Strategy 38% 11% 30%

Workforce Planning &

15% 24% 17%
Employment
HR Development 12% 18% 19%
Compensation &
14% 19% 13%
Benefits
Employee & Labor
16% 20% 14%
Relations
Risk Management
5% 8% 7%
HRCI EXAM FORMAT
aPHR PHR SPHR
125 multiple- choice
175 multiple- choice questions 175 multiple- choice questions
questions

6 Functional areas 6 Functional areas 6 Functional areas

2 hours 15 minutes 3 hours 3 hours

@ Prometric Testing Center @ Prometric Testing Center @ Prometric Testing Center
Knowledge &
Application and Problem Solving Strategic upper- level management
Comprehensive oriented
oriented questions oriented questions
questions

Cognitive Classifications
Knowledge & Comprehension – 25% Knowledge & Comprehension – 15%
Application & Problem solving – 50% Application & Problem solving – 50%
Synthesis & Evaluation – 25% Synthesis & Evaluation – 35%
HRCI EXAM ELIGIBILITY
aPHR PHR SPHR
• Demonstrate • Focuses on program • Designs and plans HR policy;
knowledge & implementation focus on the “big picture”
comprehension of • Accountable to another HR • Ultimate accountability in the
fundamental HR professional within the HR department across all HR
Educational practices organization disciplines
Credentials • Has responsibilities that • Understands the business
focus on the HR department beyond the HR function and
rather than on the whole it’s influences on the overall
organization organization
Master’s Degree 1 year of professional HR 4 years of professional HR
--
or higher experience experience
2 years of professional HR 5 years of professional HR
Bachelor’s Degree --
experience experience
High School
Less than a 4 years of professional HR 7 years of professional HR
Diploma or Global
Bachelor’s Degree experience experience
equivalent
HRCI EXAM REGISTRATION

Testing & Application Dates *Year Round

aPHR PHR SPHR

Costs $400 $450 $550

(includes $75 application fee)

How to Apply www.hrci.org

About
SHRM
SHRM www.shrm.org

The Society of Human Resource Management

(SHRM) is a membership organization for HR professionals
SHRM offers two competency based certifications:
SHRM
CP & SCP
Subject Area Item Type

Behavioral Competencies 50%

40% SBG
• Leadership 13%
10% Foundation
• Interpersonal 18 ½ %
Knowledge
• Business 18 ½ %

Technical Knowledge 50%

• People 17% 50% HR Specific
• Organization 17% Knowledge
• Workplace 16%
SHRM EXAM ELIGIBILITY
SHRM-CP SHRM-SCP
• Operationally focused • Strategically focused

HR-Related
Non-HR Degree HR-Related Degree Non-HR Degree
Educational Degree
Credentials
Master’s Degree
or higher Currently working 1 year HR 3 years HR 4 years HR
in HR experience experience experience

Bachelor’s
Degree 1 year HR 2 years HR 4 years HR 5 years HR
experience experience experience experience

Less than a
Bachelor’s 3 years HR 4 years HR 6 years HR 7 years HR
Degree experience experience experience experience
SHRM EXAM REGISTRATION
Testing Spring 2017 Winter 2017/18
Window
December 1 – February 15
Testing Dates May 1 – Jul 15

Application Jan 3 – Apr 24 May 15 – Nov 10

Deadlines *late fees will take effect Mar 24 late fees will take effect Oct 20

Costs Member $300

(includes processing
fees)
Non-member $400

How to Apply www.shrm.org

Getting Ready
For the Exam
FACTS & STATS

Pass Rate 50% 51% 67% 57%

Based on spring 2016 testing window

HR.com’s STUDY PROGRAMS
Materials Only Self-Paced eLearning Live Comprehensive
Print Comprehensive Instructor Led Course
ONLINE ONLINE
• 6 Study Manuals • 20 hours of Module-Based Learning • 16 Weeks; 2 Classes per
Enter Promo Code @ Checkout for
•
•
100s of Flashcards
Min. 14 Online Practice Exams
•
•
6 Study system
100s of Flash Cards
week; 1 Hour classes
• 6 Study Manuals
• $100 off voucher for HR.com's • Min. 14 Online Practice Exams • 100s of Flashcards
PHR/ SPHR &
SHRM CP/ SCP
$50 off
Recertification Program • Interactive study guide to remain
disciplined
• Min. 14 Online Practice Exam
Questions
• Money Back Guarantee
$450 $800
17PREP50X
*excludes exam fees *excludes exam fees $950
*excludes exam fees
• 1 Study Manual • 12 Hours of Module-Based Learning • 10 Weeks; 2 Classes per
• 100s of Flashcards • 1 study manual week; 1 Hour classes
• 7 Online Practice Exams • 100s of Flash Cards • 1 study manual
• $100 off voucher for HR.com's • 7 Online Practice Exams • 100s of Flashcards
aPHR Recertification Program • Includes interactive study guide to • 7 Online Practice Exam
remain disciplined Questions

$250 $500 $650

*excludes exam fees *excludes exam fees *excludes exam fees
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
Minimum Requirements
• Minimum 80 percent live class attendance
• Pass all practice exams with a minimum score of 80 percent
*some exceptions apply

• Must test in the immediate testing window (within 3 months of completing

the course)
• *aPHR is not included

You pass or your money back

GUARANTEED!
16 WEEK ONLINE COURSE
$950 USD excludes exam fees

Start/ End Date 16 weeks • 2 x per week for 1 hour

February 2017
Monday & Thursday’s @ 10pm ET
Feb 6 – Jun 1
March 2017 Monday & Thursday’s @ 8pm ET
Mar 6 – Jul 1 Wednesday & Sunday’s @ 9 pm ET
April 2017
Monday & Thursday’s @ 9pm ET
Apr 3 – Jul 20

Visit www.hr.com/prepcourse Visit HR.com for available days and times;

Space is limited
10 WEEK ONLINE aPHR COURSE
$650 USD excludes exam fees
Start/ End Date 10 weeks • 2 x per week for 1 hour

April 2017
Monday & Thursday’s @ 8pm ET
Apr 3 – Jun 8

Visit www.hr.com/prepcourse Visit HR.com for available days and times;

Space is limited
VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
STUDY GUIDES

Each unit covers a

body of knowledge
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
LEARNING SYSTEM
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
www.hr.com/prepcourse
www.hr.com/shrmvshrci

www.hrcp.com

www.hrci.org

www.shrm.org

HR Professional Certification Prep Course &

Study Group
 Questions?
We’d love to hear from you!
Please send your questions or comments to:

Brandon Wellsbury
Product Manager
[email protected]
1•877•472•6646
www.hr.com/prepcourse