HRCP Blog

This week’s question of the week on the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) website examines the significance of the “PHR Only” and “SPHR Only” designations in the HRCI body of knowledge. The information is worth repeating here:

Q. I am preparing to take the PHR exam in May, and I noticed that some areas covered in the HRCI body of knowledge are marked either “PHR Only” or “SPHR Only.” Why is this, and does it mean that I don’t need to know anything about the items marked “SPHR Only?”

A. When HRCI conducted its most recent practice analysis in 2005, the HR professionals who responded to our survey indicated that a few responsibility areas were performed chiefly by those at the PHR level and some others chiefly by those at the SPHR level. Therefore, exam questions that relate specifically to those job responsibilities were moved to the appropriate level exam.

This does not mean, however, that you may not need to know something about the related knowledge level or underlying concept. For example, in the Employee and Labor Relations functional area, responsibility #11 “Participate in collective bargaining activities, including contract negotiation and administration” is now marked SPHR ONLY. Therefore a question dealing with specific contract negotiation strategies or activities would appear on the SPHR exam. However, in the US, the National Labor Relations Act covers most collective bargaining agreements in the private sector. Therefore, the PHR exam might appropriately ask a question about the NLRA and its impact on the collective bargaining process, since it appears in Knowledge Area #48 of the body of knowledge.

I always worry when I hear that a PHR or SPHR candidate has purchased two different sets of HR certification study materials, acquired several HR textbooks, printed a variety of study aids and outlines, made thousands of flash cards, and has enrolled in two exam preparation classes. Generally, those who amass this amount of information do so to combat the anxiety they feel about their exam readiness. The net result of their efforts, however, is a higher level of stress. They are overwhelmed by the insurmountable task of learning it all.

But here’s the good news: You don’t need to know everything. It’s not practical, and it’s not necessary. Keep in mind that you can miss one out of every five questions on the exam and still be on very safe ground to pass. So, how do you find the balance between enough and too much? Here are a few suggestions:

• Focus on quality rather than quantity.  A good set of HR certification preparation materials should be sufficient to prepare you for the exam, and you probably won’t need other sources. If you are studying from a textbook or outline that is not expressly designed for exam preparation, though, you’ll need to supplement your study with other materials.
• Find a balance between depth and breadth. You have a limited amount of time in which to study. It is better to know a smaller number topics very well than a broader range of topics only superficially. On the other hand, don’t get so mired in the minutia that you leave important topics unlearned.
• Create a written schedule and stick to it. Identify the topics that you need to know and determine how much time you will study each area. Break up the content into manageable chunks so that you don’t become overwhelmed. Be sure to focus on the concepts that carry the most weight on the exam.

Yes, I get caught up in the madness that is NCAA basketball. I closely followed a conference championship tournament last week and was delighted when three of the four quarter-final games were decided by a total of seven points (a one-point game, a two-point game, and a four-point game). I love the drama and tension of the nail-biters. I like to think about what makes the difference in the close games, and here’s my (admittedly incomplete and oversimplified) list:

• Execution
• Stamina
• Luck

And (surprise, surprise), each of these items can also make the difference in the close ones on the PHR and SPHR exams. (Yes, I can relate anything to HR certification. Try me.)

• Execution. Just as you’ve got to put the ball in the hoop to win a basketball game, so must you answer questions correctly to pass the human resource certification exam. Simple, I know, but that’s what it all boils down to in the end. Ability to execute on the PHR and SPHR exams depends principally on 1) knowing enough about the right stuff, and 2) accurately applying that knowledge to the exam. Your preparation for the exam should include both the acquisition of information and the improvement of test-taking skills.
• Stamina. The HR certification exam may not be as physically exhausting as playing 40 minutes of basketball, but it is mentally draining. You’ve got to condition yourself. You’ve got to be toned. You’ve got to be tough. The best workout you can do to prepare for the exam is to simulate the timed test environment and bench press a bazillion questions.
• Luck. Sometimes the ball bounces your way, and sometimes it doesn’t. You can only study so many topics, memorize so many terms, review so many pieces of legislation. Which of the thousands of potential topics will be reflected in the 225 questions on the PHR or SPHR exam is essentially a matter of luck. It’s out of your hands. However, keep in mind the wise words attributed to Thomas Jefferson: “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”

What is the difference between the HRCP Program and the SHRM Learning System?

We get this question a lot. I’ll start out by telling you how they’re similar:

• Both the Human Resource Certification Preparation Program and the SHRM Learning System are based on the HR Body of Knowledge used by the HRCI (Human Resource Certification Institute) in preparing the PHR and SPHR certification exams.
• Neither the HRCP Program nor the SHRM Learning System is endorsed by HRCI; the Human Resource Certification Institute doesn’t endorse any particular study method. See this previous blog entry for more details.

Now, how are they different?

• The HRCP Program costs much less. The retail price of the HRCP Program is $345. The SHRM Learning System runs $595 for SHRM members and $695 for nonmembers.
• They are written by different authors. The HRCP Program is written by David Cherrington, a noted HR expert, textbook author, and university professor, and by me. The SHRM Learning System is produced by Holmes Corporation.
• The HRCP Program includes a set of nifty, multi-colored flash cards.

Day 1: Server crashes, all data lost. Web host’s most recent backup, five and a half months old. Many tears.

Day 2:  Begin rebuilding websites.

Days 3-7: Continue rebuilding websites.

Day 8: Web hosting company finds backup that was made right before server crashed.

Day 9: Begin re-rebuilding websites.

Days 10-13: Continue re-rebuilding websites.

Day 14: Restore lost months to HRCPblog. Tired from all this time travel.

I think I have an idea what time travel feels like. Yesterday I traveled five and a half months back in time. Well, our company websites did, anyway. Our server crashed, and all of our data was destroyed. For some inexplicable reason, the most recent restore point our web hosting company has is from last August. Yeeesh. Of course, we have backups of much of the data, but it takes time to rebuild five and a half months of history. That explains why the most recent entry on my blog (besides this one) is dated August 6, 2007.

I have the unusual sensation that I am trying to live in two time-lines simultaneously. I have to dwell and function in the present; it’s my son’s fifth birthday, for heaven’s sake. But I am also feverishly running through the past, trying to restore order and sanity.

While I’m traveling through the past, I need to remind myself to back-up more frequently. Argh!

Based on the significant spike we’ve seen in people taking our online practice tests in the past few days, I think it’s safe to assume that many PHR and SPHR candidates will be sitting for their HR certification exams in the next few days. We had a call to our office today from someone who was in an absolute panic about the exam. It got me thinking that a few words about exam anxiety might be helpful here:

• Anxiety is normal, and it can actually be beneficial. It helps us get “up” for an event. It heightens our attention and sharpens our memory.
• When you feel butterflies in your tummy (or a wave of nausea, as the case may be), tell yourself, “This is a good thing. This will help me.” Don’t allow the nervousness to escalate to the point that it is detrimental to exam performance. Relax.
• To determine which relaxation techniques work best for you, employ various relaxation techniques when you take practice tests.
• While poor preparation can certainly lead to nervousness, it doesn’t follow that feelings of anxiety mean you are ill-prepared. Even those who are well-prepared can feel nervous.
• Worrying is focusing (obsessing, even) about the possibility of an undesirable outcome. It has no up side. Don’t allow yourself to worry.

Good luck!

I’m guessing that a good number of those taking the PHR and SPHR exams during the current testing window have not yet taken the test, but will be doing so in the next 14 days, the last two weeks of the two-month window. This is not based on any statistical evidence I have in my possession; it is based on my knowledge of (and intimate experience with) human nature. When I last sat for the SPHR exam, I took it on the very last day of the testing window. And that’s okay. My credentials are just as valid as those who took the exam on the first day. I don’t have to put an asterisk by my SPHR, or anything.

Those of you who are having your brains scanned (heh, wouldn’t that be easier, really?) in the next two weeks, you might want to review the blog entries I’ve classified as “test-taking tips.”

Good luck!

We’re kicking off the new year the way we always do, by starting to ship the new, updated edition of the HRCP Program. With the 2008 version, our program is now in its 14th edition.

Orders for the program have been as brisk as we’ve seen them this early in the year; the press can barely keep up. It appears that human resource certification figures prominently in many lists of new year’s resolutions.

Best wishes for a happy new year! For those of you preparing to take the SPHR or PHR exam this year, I hope that year’s end finds you with a new set of initials following your name.

Since Terri took and passed the human resource certification exam a week and a half a go, she is the resident expert. Here are more words of wisdom from Terri, PHR:

Surprised or not surprised…that is the question!

When taking the PHR exam last week I was not surprised by what I saw. Perhaps I can share some information with you, so you’re not surprised either. First off, don’t be surprised when you see questions that start off like the following:

What is the MOST LIKELY….
The BEST method for…
Which of the following is NOT…
Fortunately, those capitalized key words you see are also in capital letters on the exam. Pay attention to them, especially when you see them in your study materials!

Don’t be surprised when you are asked which employers a piece of legislation applies to or you are given the legislation and have to identify the correct provision of that act. You may also be given a scenario and asked to choose the piece of legislation that applies to the situation.

Don’t be surprised when you see OWBPA, ADR, or BFOQ. It’s in your best interest to know the acronyms since you will see them on the exam.

Don’t be surprised when you see numbers and have to calculate something, whether it be a compa-ratio, overtime, or the amount covered by an insurance plan.

Don’t be surprised if you are asked about alternative dispute resolution, arbitration, training methods, learning theories, performance evaluation, selection tests, reliability, and validity (just to name a few of the things I saw on my exam).

Don’t be surprised if you see something that was not covered in your preparation materials. Since no one knows exactly what will be on the exam, it is virtually impossible for everything to be covered in your books. I estimate that 97% of the topics covered on my exam were discussed in the HRCP Program (yes, I kept track).

Don’t be surprised when it takes 5 minutes after your exam to find out whether you’ve passed and that you have to answer survey questions while waiting.

Don’t be surprised when you pass! If you’ve put forth the time and effort to learn the material and are a reasonably good test taker, it will be a relief when you see “pass” but it shouldn’t be a surprise!