Professional Certification
 

INTERESTED IN BECOMING CERTIFIED AS AN HR PROFESSIONAL?

Get the Facts About Human Resource Certification!

Did you know that the Human Resource Certification Institute offers four certifications for HR professionals?  They are:

• PHR® (Professional in Human Resources)
• SPHR® (Senior Professional in Human Resources)
• GPHR® (Global Professional in Human Resources)
• PHR-CA® and SPHR-CA® (PHR with state certification in California and SPHR with state certification in California)

What is a Certification?
Certification is a voluntary action by a professional group to establish a system to grant recognition to professionals who have met a stated level of training and work experience. Certified individuals are usually issued a certificate attesting that they have met the standards of the credentialing organization and are entitled to make the public aware of their credentialed status, usually through the use of initials (i.e., PHR, SPHR, GPHR or PHR-CA) after their name.

What’s the difference between a Certification and a Certificate Program?
Certifications differ from certificate programs because certifications include an experience component. Certificate programs, on the other hand, award certificates once a course of study has been completed and do not require previous work experience.
 
What are the benefits of earning Human Resource Credentials?
HR certification is a career-long commitment that proves to your peers and your organization that you are driven to be successful in HR management. Earning your HR credentials can

• Increase your professional confidence
• Set you apart from your peers
• Result in greater respect from the organization in which you work
• Did you know that the HRCI eligibility requirements changed?

The new requirements will affect those who apply for certification in 2011 and beyond as well as those who are currently certified but wish to recertify by exam. If you have maintained your certification and it is current before the changes are implemented, you will be able to recertify through continuing education activities even if you do not meet the new eligibility requirements. However, if you choose to recertify by taking the exam in 2011 or later you must meet the new eligibility requirements.

What are the new eligibility requirements?
PHR Eligibility SPHR Eligibility GPHR Eligibility

• 4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree
• 2 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree
• 1 year of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher  • 7 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree
• 5 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree
• 4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher  • 4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience (with 2 of the 4 being global HR experience) with less than a Bachelor’s degree
• 3 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience (with 2 of the 3 being global HR experience) with a Bachelor’s degree
• 2 years of demonstrated global exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher  

What are the new eligibility requirements?
PHR Eligibility	SPHR Eligibility	GPHR Eligibility
• 4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree • 2 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree • 1 year of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher	• 7 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree • 5 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree • 4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher	• 4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience (with 2 of the 4 being global HR experience) with less than a Bachelor’s degree • 3 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience (with 2 of the 3 being global HR experience) with a Bachelor’s degree • 2 years of demonstrated global exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher

Please note that the last PHR, SPHR and GPHR exam to be administered under current eligibility requirements will be the winter 2010 (December 2010 –January 2011) testing window.
As a certified professional, you might consider how the new eligibility requirements could affect you in the following capacities.

As a mentor/coach: You might want to encourage noncertified colleagues who will not meet the new requirements to apply and test for certification before 2011.
As a recertification applicant: If you plan to recertify by examination in 2011 or later, consider whether you will meet the new requirements. If not, either test earlier or focus on completing continuing education activities for recertification.
As a GPHR candidate: Currently, you may sit for the GPHR exam without demonstrated exempt-level experience in global HR. Beginning in 2011, you will need at least two years of direct cross-border HR responsibility to qualify.

When are the Morris County-SHRM chapter scholarships offered?
Each fall and spring the Morris County-SHRM chapter offers certification scholarships and exam study sessions to chapter members who are pursuing their PHR, SPHR or GPHR credentials.

What do the scholarships include?
The scholarships cover the cost of the program including the SHRM Learning System materials, exam application, and one exam fee.  A passing grade on the exam is necessary to receive the scholarship.

How do I apply for a scholarship?
If you are interested in becoming certified for the first time, or recertified, you have support at the Morris County Chapter of SHRM!  As Chapter Chairperson, I will lead where I can, or search for answers to all your questions.  Jeff Connolly, Certification Study Buddy Advocate and I will work with you in study groups or individually.  It is a challenge, yet worth it!  Please contact me anytime at  JTreibman@artechinfo.com. 

Additional information is also available by clicking here.