HRCP Blog

In contemplating the reasons for the steady decline in HR certification exam pass rates, I’ve gone back to my analysis from a year ago. I think that my observations still hold. One or more of these must be true:

• The PHR and SPHR exams are getting more difficult.
• The cutoff for passing the PHR and SPHR exams is being set higher each year.
• People are going into the PHR and SPHR exams less prepared.
• Less-qualified individuals are taking the PHR and SPHR exams.

Whatever the reason for the falling pass rates, there is only one solution for those preparing to take the HR certification exams: Be better prepared.

More on that next time.

Today the HR Certification Institute announced the pass rates for the May-June 2008 PHR and SPHR exam window.

It’s not pretty.

I created the following graphic so you can get a visual picture of the direction the scores are headed.

Yeeesh. This is the lowest pass rate ever for the PHR exam and the lowest for the SPHR since 2002, when it was 53 percent.  Prior to the most recent administration of the exams, the average pass rate for the PHR exam was 64.8 percent, and for the SPHR exam it was 57.2 percent (using data since 2001).

Tune in next time for pass rate analysis and discussion of what this means for those now preparing for the PHR or SPHR exams.

Apparently, I brought back more than memories from the SHRM conference in Chicago. I also returned with a nasty case of pneumonia. My advice: don’t get pneumonia. And if you do get it, at least get it at a sensible time. NOT in the middle of summer vacation.

While I have had to back off my usual activities the past several weeks, I’m aware that many people are suffering from another kind of slowdown, an economic one. With all the hand-wringing and belt-tightening that goes on during times of economic uncertainty, there is often a surge in the number of HR professionals investing in certification. HR people know better than anyone the toll an economic slowdown can take on employment. Employees need to do everything they can to be more competitive in a tightening labor market. For HR professionals, that may mean becoming certified. There are nearly 100,000 human resource managers who currently hold PHR or SPHR certification. To compete, you’ve got to have a set of those letters after your name.

HRCP can help you prepare for your certification exam with quality, comprehensive materials at a reasonable price. And to help a little more during these tough economic times, we’ll give you $25 off the price of the complete HRCP Program if you order before the end of August and use the discount code SUMMER.

Best of luck!

We had a great time in Chicago! Despite the fact that our exhibit display never arrived, we had constant traffic at our booth, and we met dozens of people who are preparing for the HR certification exams. Each year, we find it necessary to clear up some pervasive misconceptions about HR certification. Many people are confused about the relationship between the HR Certification Institute (they’ll be known as HRCI no more, they said in Chicago) and the SHRM Learning System. We explain that while both organizations fall under the general SHRM umbrella, the SHRM Learning System is not produced by the HR Certification Institute. In fact, the SHRM Learning System is produced by Holmes Corporation, an outside, private company.

In Chicago, we got the inevitable question: Is the HRCP Program endorsed by the HR Certification Institute? We gladly tell people that no, it’s not. The HR Certification Institute does not endorse any product. No, not even the SHRM Learning System. I’ve quoted the HR Certification Institute website before, and I think it’s worth doing again:

What is the best approach to prepare for the exam? The certification exam is based on work experience. . . . We do not endorse any products nor maintain information on them.

Is it true that HRCI does not endorse the SHRM learning system? HRCI does not endorse any specific preparation method.

Why is the language so drastically different on the test than the learning material? There is no material that “teaches to the exam”. The two are developed indpendently. HRCI has nothing to do with the development of the Learning System. The exam questions come from HR professionals working in the field.

We had several people stop by our booth to thank us; they had passed their PHR or SPHR exam after using the HRCP Program to prepare. Congratulations to those who have passed, and good luck to those who’ll be taking the exam in the next few days.

We arrived safely in Chicago. Unfortunately, the display for our booth did not. We had shipped it ahead to the convention center, but it was delayed because of the flooding in the Midwest. Fortunately, we knew ahead that our exhibit wouldn’t be here, so we quickly created a poster and had it printed and mounted at Kinko’s. Our materials for distribution didn’t arrive either, so we had some half-sheet flyers printed as well. We were afraid that without our fancy-schmancy pop-up exhibit, we’d have trouble attracting people to our booth. That has not proven to be the case; we’ve a constant flow of visitors. If you’re here in Chicago, we’d love to see you, too. Come by booth 3841 at the SHRM Expo.

We’ll have a booth at SHRM’s annual conference and exposition later this month. The event will be held in Chicago this year, June 22-24. If you will be there too, come see us! We’ll be in booth number 3841 at the expo and hope that many of you will stop by to visit. If you’ll be in the Chicago area but aren’t registered for the SHRM conference, we can still get you in to the exposition. We have free expo-only passes available for the asking. Give us a call or send an email, and we’ll get you set up. Click here to contact us.

Hope to see you there!

When a young, uninitiated human resource professional fails the certification exam, we chalk it up to inexperience. Give her a few years, we say. But what about a respected, seasoned HR veteran failing the exam? The person who knows it all, whom everyone else goes to for advice. What does it mean when he fails?

The SPHR and PHR exams are as much an assessment of test-taking skills as they are an evaluation of human resource knowledge. Often, when a competent, experienced HR professional fails the exam, the deficiency is not in knowledge and understanding of the HRCI Body of Knowledge, but a lack of skill in taking tests. Some people are naturally better test-takers than others, but, as with any skill, those of any skill level who work at it can improve. Read through the test-taking tips I’ve listed in this blog. And practice, practice, practice. (No, I can’t say “practice” too many times.)

According to our server data, fewer than half of those who purchase the HRCP Program ever set up a username and password to access the online tests that accompany the program. Imagine that. I’m sure that some of them have very good reasons for not using the tests, though I’m hard pressed to come up with any at the moment. But I can think of a lot of reasons in favor of using the online practice tests:

1. You’ve already paid for it. Not using a resource you’ve already paid for would be like ordering a meal at a restaurant that includes a drink and desert and saying, “Nah, I’ll pass on the milk and the double-fudge sundae. And I can’t see why I’d want a fork, either.” Seriously.
2. Studying is one thing, practicing is another. Reading the study materials without ever taking a practice exam would be like a basketball team doing drills for dribbling, running, and passing, without ever attempting to throw the ball in the hoop. It is just as important to develop test-taking skills as it is to review the content of the exam. The best way to do this is by drilling a lot of questions.
3. Are you learning anything? The practice tests are a great way to assess whether anything you’re studying is penetrating the cranium.
4. The tests are graded for you. The online tests are so much better than a paper-and-pencil alternative. The questions are checked for you and you get immediate feedback, including a reference to the page of the HRCP Program where you’ll find more info.
5. It’s a no brainer. You’ve already paid for it. It’s great practice. It’s a good assessment. It’s auto-graded. Do yourself a huge favor and use the online review questions. If you have trouble getting an account set up, just contact our office for help.

I recently received an invitation from HRCI to provide feedback on their proposed changes for PHR and SPHR certification.

The proposed new eligibility requirements for the PHR examination are:

• 4 years demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree
• 2 years demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree
• 1 year demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree

The proposed new eligibility requirements for the SPHR credential are:

• 7 years demonstrated exempt-level HR experience without a Bachelor’s degree
• 5 years demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree
• 4 years demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with Master’s degree

My feedback to them was a resounding “YES!” I strongly favor these proposed changes. They address several issues I have had with the current eligibility requirements since they changed them some years ago. The two designations should not have the same eligibility requirements. That has never made any sense. I like that they value education, something the current requirements ignore. I believe that if these changes are implemented, it will strongly enhance the value of human resource certification, and I support the proposed changes, even though they could negatively impact my business, at least in the short run.

I have commented many times on the importance of practice in your PHR and SPHR exam preparation. (See, for example, “Does practice make perfect?”) The more practice questions you can review, the better. And the closer you can approximate the human resource certification exam environment, the more prepared you’ll be.

I should include a caveat, however: Most practice questions are written as a review for a particular set of study materials. Scoring well on such a practice test is good, and it shows that you know the study material, but it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll do well on the HR certification exam. In order for your knowledge of the subject matter to translate into success on the PHR and SPHR exams, you need to be able to effectively apply that knowledge to question that are written by different authors, with a different writing style, and sometimes using different terminology. The best way to accomplish this is to expose yourself to many different practice tests. Don’t limit yourself to those associated with your study materials.

There are many practice tests available, both free and for a fee. You should be able to find many resources with a web search. Here are some guidelines for selecting practice tests:

1. Choose tests from legitimate sources. By legitimate I mean legal (as in they don’t infringe someone’s copyright) and reliable (the source is reputable, a known HR expert).
2. Look for tests that provide feedback. An overall score is not very helpful in your study process. Practice tests that allow you to review, show which questions you missed, and provide explanations (such as our online practice test) are most useful.
3. Diversify. Choose a number of different sources. The actual HR certification exam questions are written by many, many different people. It’s a good idea to experience questions written by numerous authors.