Re-take insanity
In yesterday’s blog entry, I discussed the December 2006 – January 2007 pass rates. HRCI doesn’t publish a “fail-rate,” but, sadly, it’s easy to calculate: 37% (PHR) and 45% (SPHR) didn’t pass the exam. What do you do if you are among that gloomy group? Will you try again?
You’ve probably heard that one definition of insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result. Am I suggesting that re-taking the exam is insane? Maybe. If you do “the same thing” to prepare this time around, you really can’t (sanely) expect a different result. So, what should you do differently?
- Review your results. The detailed results provided by HRCI can help you identify areas where you may be weak. Be sure to put extra emphasis on those areas as you study.
- Assess your study materials. Were the topics included on the exam adequately covered in the study materials you used? You might consider obtaining more or better study aids.
- Examine your own preparation. Were you sufficiently diligent in your study? Did you put in the time and effort to learn the HR body of knowledge?
- Practice, practice, practice. Work on improving your test-taking skills. (See yesterday’s blog entry.) I’ll offer specific test-taking tips as the spring test period approaches.