What Is Certification… and Why Is It Desirable?

About Certification:

Certification sets those with the credential apart – or above – those without it. There are a number of advantages to seeking certification. Certification becomes a public recognition of professional achievement – both within and outside of the profession. For many, achieving certification becomes a personal professional goal – a way to test knowledge and to measure it against one's peers. Others see certification as an aid to career advancement, as it shows that the holder has accepted the challenge to stay informed of new developments in the HR field.

Exams and certification are administered by HRCI (Human Resource Certification Institute). Each year the number of Certified Human Resource Professionals multiplies. An ever-increasing number of job postings and recruiters are looking for HR candidates who hold either the PHR (Professional in Human Resource), SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) and/or the GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources). The PHR and SPHR exams are generalist – they assess knowledge of the entire HR field. The GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources), is designed to show that the holder has demonstrated mastery of the international HR body of knowledge.

How to Become Certified:

To be eligible to sit for the exams, you need to have a minimum of two years of exempt-level human resource experience. It is highly recommended that you have 6 to 8 years of experience to sit for the SPHR and the GPHR. Listed below are the exam schedules and application deadlines. For information on the exam fees, go to HRCI’s 2009 Exam Fees and Schedules page at http://www.hrci.org/Certification/EXAMAPP/EXAMFEE/

NOTE: Eligibility requirements for the PHR, SPHR and the GPHR will increase in 2011.

2009 Exam Schedule

2009 Application Deadlines

2009 PHR/SPHR Exam Fees

* A $50 (U.S.) late fee will be assessed on applications received after the regular deadline but on or before the late deadline.
**For students/recent graduates, the balance of the PHR exam fee is required upon meeting experience and graduation requirements.

2009 GPHR Exam Fees

* A U.S.$50 late fee will be assessed on applications received after the regular deadline but on or before the late deadline.
** For students/recent graduates, the balance of the GPHR exam fee is required upon meeting experience and graduation requirements.

Salem Chapter Study Session:
Our SHRM Salem Chapter holds one study session each year to prepare for the spring exam window. For the May/ June 2009 exams, the began on March 3, 2009 and will continue through May 26, 2009.  

Our sessions are on Tuesdays from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. More information on this spring’s study group is available. Please contact Jacklyn Allen, SPHR Professional Development Director via email at jacklyn@pclpartnership.org or by phone at 503-838-2403 x317.

Recertification:
Once you pass the exam, re-certification is required every three years. You can either re-test, or you must accumulate 60 credit/contact hours through continuing education, research and/or publishing, instruction, new on-the-job experience, leadership, or professional membership. Each certification level has unique requirements for recertification. Certified individuals can track their credits online through HRCI.

Other Helpful Resources:

• HRCI homepagewww.hrci.org for complete information on the certification process.
• Prometric homepage:www.prometric.com for further details on testing centers, locations and times.
• SHRM homepage: http://www.shrm.org

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