The pass-rate puzzle
The December 2006 – January 2007 PHR and SPHR exam testing period produced the lowest pass rates achieved in the past five years. The pass rate on the PHR exam was 63%, and 55% of the SPHR candidates passed their exam. I don’t know what the reason for the declining pass rates might be. Are the exams getting more difficult? Is the cutoff for passing set higher? Are less-qualified individuals taking the exams? Are people going into the exams less prepared? Can we somehow blame it on global warming? Whatever the real reason (or reasons), the only thing you can control is your personal preparation. Here are two things you can do to increase your odds of passing:
- Study hard. With not quite two-thirds passing the PHR exam and barely more than half passing the SPHR exam, HR certification is clearly not a cake-walk. Make sure you know your stuff. And do more than just read the study material. Make sure that you really know it, that you can explain it, calculate it, and most of all, apply it.
- Practice, practice, practice. You’ve heard the saying: Practice makes perfect. The best way to prepare for the PHR or SPHR exam is to practice responding to questions in a timed format
that simulates the conditions under which you will take the exam. We have practice tests on our website, and you can find practice tests in a number of other places as well. All of the good HR certification prep study programs come with practice questions. Ours includes 400.