CERTIFICATION: YOUR PROFESSIONAL EDGE

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CERTIFICATION YOUR PROFESSIONAL EDGE

• Presented by

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Everything You Wanted to Know

• What is certification and why is it important to
  my HR career?
• All about the PHR, SPHR and GPHR exams
• The Domestic and International Bodies of
  Knowledge
• Computer based testing
• How to Apply and Prepare
• Once youre certified..
• Recertification

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Why do it?

• Credibility
• Confidence
• Competitive advantage
• Challenge
• Skill Development
• Personal Satisfaction
• Recognition from PeersMy work experience and
  education made me the perfect candidate for my
  current position, but in the recruitment phase
  points were given to candidates for
  certification. My points gave me the edge to get
  the interview and my experience did the rest.
  Gretchen McKinney, PHR

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Certification Facts

• More than 70,000 certified
• 55 are SHRM members
• 60 are PHR-certified
• 40 SPHR-certified
• 19,696 test takers in 2003
• 20,000 test takers in 2004
• New GPHR certification in 2004 200 test-takers.
• In a hard, competitive business, its good to
  have a personal grounding knowing that youve met
  the challenge of certification. It is one of the
  best professional and personal achievements Ive
  accomplished.
• Alice McGrath, SPHR

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Certificate Programs vs. Certification Programs

• What is the difference and why?
• A certificate is a document presented at the end
  of a training program to indicate attendance
• Certification is a designation from a
  professional certifying agency earned by
  completing a test or other evaluation tool (The 3
  Es Experience, Education, and Exam)

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HRCI Certification Exams

• PHR - Operational/technical
• Pass rate 63-69
• SPHR - Strategic/policy
• Pass rate 53-58
• GPHR International HR Practices

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Basics of the PHR and SPHR Exams

• Two years of exempt level (professional)
  experience in HR or student classification.
• All exams are computer-based and offered annually
  during two 8 week windows
• Testing windows for 2005 are May 1 June 30 and
  Dec 1 Jan 31, 2006
• 225 questions (200 scored for certification 25
  being tested for future exams).

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Basics of the PHR and SPHR Exams

• Four hours, structured testing environment
  (similar to the Bar Exam, SAT, GMAT, etc.)
• Tests what an HR generalist (private sector)
  needs to know

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The Domestic HR Body of Knowledge

• PHR SPHR
• Strategic management 12 26
• Workforce planning and employment 26 16
• Human resource development 15 13
• Compensation and benefits 20 16
• Employee and labor relations 21 24
• Occupational health, safety and security
  6 5

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GPHR Global Professional in HR

• Exam covers six domains
• Strategic International HR management
• Organizational effectiveness and employee
  development
• Global staffing
• International assignment management
• Global compensation and benefits
• International employee relations and regulations
• Eligibility requirement Two years of exempt
  level (professional) experience in HR

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The International HR Body of Knowledge

• GPHR
• Strategic HR management 22
• Organizational effectiveness and
• employee development 14
• Global Staffing 10
• International assignment management 28
• Global Compensation and Benefits 16
• International employee relations and
• regulations 10

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More about the GPHR

• Testing windows for 2005 May 1 May 31 and Dec
  1 Dec 31
• Recertification will be required every 3 years
• You may hold a GPHR and either a PHR or SPHR at
  the same time

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Benefits of Computer Based Testing (CBT)

• More testing dates
• More test center locations 250 in the US/Canada
  and 116 internationally
• Immediate preliminary pass/fail results
• Consistent test-taking environment
• Easy to use
• Built in calculator and clock

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A Look at a CBT Test Center
Individual testing stations
Security cameras
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Sample Exam Question Layout
Shows time left to complete exam
Allows you to mark a question to return to
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When Youre Ready to Apply

• Read the handbook thoroughly (available online or
  request a hard copy)
• Apply online at www.hrci.org (or use the Scantron
  form and mail in your application)
• Pay attention to the deadlines
• Schedule your exam appointment early

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Getting Ready

• Read the handbook completely (again!)
• Find your personal study style
• Take the online assessment exam (PHR or SPHR)
• Most candidates spend an average of 40 hours
  preparing for the exam.

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Where do the questions come from?

• Teams of certified HR professionals who have
  special training in item development
• Every question passes three levels of review
• Every question pre-tested before being used to
  score the exam

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How to Prepare

• Many ways to prepare HRCI does not endorse any
  one study method or product
• HRCI Certification Guide (PHR, SPHR)
• HRCI Online Assessment Exam (PHR,SPHR)
• Self-study -- flash cards, textbooks, the SHRM
  Learning System, Global Learning System
• Study groups -- chapters, employer groups
• Prep classes -- universities, SHRM (PHR, SPHR)
• None of these teaches to the test

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After the Exam

• You will find out preliminary pass/fail status
  immediately!
• Detailed exam results will be mailed to your home
  address within three weeks of testing.
• If you passed, your certificate and pin will
  arrive with your score report.
• If you didnt pass, your results will show you
  how you did by functional area.

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When Youre Certified

• Youll be able to use the initials
• PHR, SPHR, GPHR
• A letter recognizing your achievement can be sent
  to your boss from HRCI per your request
• Sample press release available
• PHR/SPHR/GPHR accessories from the SHRMStore
• Youll be part of the growing community of
  certified HR professionals
• Youll be invited to Certified-Only VIP Lounge
  at SHRM Annual Conference
• Youll receive the quarterly e-newsletter,
  Certified Mail.

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Recertification

• Required every three years (36 months)
• Develop a system to file and track your
  certification credits as you go through the year
• Most professionals can accumulate enough hours in
  less than two years
• Send your information in as soon as you obtain
  the required recertification credits

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Options for Recertification

• Sixty (60) contact hours through
• continuing education
• teaching
• on-the-job projects
• research/publishing
• leadership
• professional membership
• Or
• You may retake the exam

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Approved Provider/Approved for Credit Programs

• Approved for Credit Program Hosts of HR-related
  continuing education activitiescan submit
  HR-related education activitiesfor pre-approval
  toward recertification credit.
• Approved Provider Program Providers of multiple
  HR-related continuing education activities are
  approved for 3 years.
• Recertification credit is awarded on an
  hour-for-hour basis for time spent in the
  educational activity.

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Approved Provider/Approved for Credit Programs

• Approved for Credit Program Hosts of HR-related
  continuing education activitiescan submit
  HR-related education activitiesfor pre-approval
  toward recertification credit.
• Approved Provider Program Providers of multiple
  HR-related continuing education activities are
  approved for 3 years.
• Recertification credit is awarded on an
  hour-for-hour basis for time spent in the
  educational activity.

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Questions?

• ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

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Human Resource Certification Institute 1-866-898-H
RCI (4724) info_at_hrci.org www.hrci.org 1800 Duke
Street Alexandria, VA 22314