What Is Certification?

HR certification is a career-long commitment that demonstrates to your peers, your employees and your organization that you have mastered the core HR knowledge and principles and that you are dedicated to staying current in your field. Passing the exam is only one part of the certification process. Because the exams are experience-based, applicants must have the required work experience to be eligible to apply for the exams. Once the certificant has passed the exam, the recertification requirements ensure that the HR professional is keeping abreast of changes in the field.

Certifications differ from certificate programs because certifications, by definition, include a work experience component. 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 acronyms (e.g., PHR, SPHR or GPHR) after their names. Certificate programs, on the other hand, award certificates once a course of study has been completed and do not require previous work experience or recertification.

Why Is Certification Desirable?

Certification sets those with the credential apart from–or above–those without it. There are a number of advantages to seeking certification, including:

• Hiring managers consider an applicant’s certification when making hiring decisions.
• Organizations believe hiring HR-certified professionals gives them a competitive advantage.
• Business leaders find HR-certified professionals more motivated, more knowledgeable of the HR field and stronger performers.
• HR professionals report that certified HR professionals create a positive impact on their organizations’ financial performance.

Certification becomes a public recognition of professional achievement–both within and outside of the profession. For many, achieving certification becomes a personal professional goal–a way to test knowledge and to measure it against one’s peers. Others see certification as an aid to career advancement.

Purpose and Use of Certification

PHR, SPHR and GPHR certification shows that the holder has demonstrated mastery of the
domestic or international HR body of knowledge and, through recertification, has accepted the challenge to stay informed of new developments in the HR field.

The PHR, SPHR and GPHR exams are completely voluntary. Organizations or individuals incorporating PHR, SPHR or GPHR certification as a condition of employment or advancement do so of their own volition. Individuals should determine for themselves whether attaining HR certification, including meeting the eligibility
and recertification requirements, when coupled with any other requirements imposed by individuals or organizations, meets their needs and complies with any applicable laws.

The PHR, SPHR and GPHR designations are a visible reminder to peers and co-workers of the holder’s significant professional achievement. PHR-, SPHR- and GPHR-certified professionals should proudly display their certificates and use the credentials on business correspondence.

How Do the Three Exams Differ?

The HR Certification Institute (HRCI) administers three core certification exams: Professional in Human Resources (PHR®), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR®) and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR®).

The PHR and SPHR exams assess generalist knowledge of the HR field, including strategic management, workforce planning and employment, HR development, total rewards, employee and labor relations, and risk management. Because of the nature of the exams and their common body of knowledge, the PHR and SPHR designations cannot be held concurrently. The SPHR exam supersedes the PHR designation.

The GPHR exam assesses the international HR body of knowledge and is intended for HR professionals with cross-border responsibilities. The GPHR assesses global HR knowledge in the following categories: strategic HR management, global talent acquisition and mobility, global compensation and benefits, organizational effectiveness and talent development, and workforce relations and risk management. You may have simultaneous certification by holding the GPHR and PHR or SPHR.

PHR or SPHR?

Candidates should choose the exam that best represents their mastery of the HR body of knowledge. The HR Certification Institute has found that appropriate exempt-level HR work experience and educational background contribute significantly to success on the exams.

We strongly recommend that PHR candidates have two to four years of exempt-level (professional) HR work experience and SPHR candidates have six to eight years of exempt-level (professional) HR work experience.

Profile of a Candidate

An honest assessment of skills, knowledge and responsibilities within the HR function is critical when deciding whether to seek certification as a PHR, SPHR or GPHR. The following profiles of typical PHR, SPHR and GPHR candidates may help you determine which exam is appropriate for you. Because of the nature of the exams and their common body of knowledge, the PHR and SPHR designations cannot be held concurrently. However, you may hold either a PHR or SPHR certification in conjunction with a GPHR designation.

PHR Candidate:

• Focuses on program implementation.
• Has tactical/logistical orientation.
• Has accountability to another HR
• professional within the organization.
• Has two to four years of exempt-level generalist HR work experience, but because of career length may lack the breadth and depth of a more senior-level generalist.
• Has not had progressive HR work
• experience by virtue of career length.
• Focuses his or her impact on the organization within the HR department rather than organization wide.
• Commands respect through the credibility of knowledge and the use of policies and guidelines to make decisions.

SPHR Candidate:

• Designs and plans rather than implements.
• Focuses on the “big picture.”
• Has ultimate accountability in the HR department.
• Has six to eight years of progressive HR experience.
• Has breadth and depth of HR generalist knowledge.
• Uses judgment obtained with time and application of knowledge.
• Has generalist role within organization.
• Understands the effect of decisions made within and outside of the organization.
• Understands the business, not just the HR function.
• Manages relationships; has influence within overall organization.
• Commands credibility within organization, community and field by experience.
• Possesses excellent negotiation skills.

GPHR Candidate:

• Has cross-border HR responsibilities (more than one country).
• Understands the strategies of globalization versus localization of HR policies and programs.
• Establishes HR policies and initiatives that support the organization’s global growth and reputation as an employer.
• Designs organizational structures, programs and processes to achieve worldwide business needs.
• Develops, implements and evaluates programs, processes and tools to ensure that they align with competitive practice, the organization’s objectives and legal requirements.
• Oversees practices that ensure favorable employment conditions balancing employer needs with employee rights and needs.
• Has core knowledge of the organization’s international HR activities.

PHR and SPHR Exams

The PHR and SPHR exams are:

• Based on U.S. federal laws, regulations and practices.
• Generalist in nature (i.e., they assess all the functional areas of the HR field).

They differ, however, in terms of focus and the cognitive level of questions.

• PHR questions tend to be at an operational/technical level.
• SPHR questions tend to be more at the strategic and/or policy level.

Test questions on both exams reflect the most recently published test specifications–also called the body of knowledge (see Appendix A). The table on page 7 represents the percentages of questions in each functional area covered in the exams.

The exams are multiple choice and consist of:

• A total of 225 questions:
• 200 scored questions, plus
• 25 pretest questions randomly distributed throughout the exam

Each question lists four possible answers, only one of which is the correct or “best possible answer.” The answer to each question can be derived independently of the answer to any other question. Four hours are allotted to complete the exam.

For those considering taking the PHR or SPHR exam, the HR Certification Institute offers online assessment exams composed of actual exam questions that have appeared on previous exams but were removed from the item bank to develop the assessment exams. Before registering for the PHR or SPHR exam, consider taking an online assessment exam. The assessment exam exposes candidates to the types of questions on the actual exam. For more information about our assessment exams (including fees), visit our web site at www.hrci.org.

GPHR Exam

The purpose of the GPHR certification is to assess a candidate’s mastery of the knowledge necessary to be successful in the worldwide marketplace.

Exam questions reflect the most recently published test specifications (see Appendix B). The table below represents the percentages of questions in each functional area covered in the exams.

The exams are multiple choice and consist of:

• A total of 165 questions:
• 150 scored questions, plus
• 15 pretest questions randomly distributed throughout the exam.

Each question lists four possible answers, only one of which is the correct or “best possible answer.” The answer to each question can be derived independently of the answer to any other question. Three hours are allotted to complete the exam.

Pretest Questions

Pretest questions are not counted in scoring. They are, however, essential in building the PHR, SPHR and GPHR bank of test questions and are on the exam to statistically assess their difficulty level and effectiveness at discriminating between candidates who meet the passing standard and those who do not. The information gathered in the pretest process determines whether the question will be included on a future exam.

Passing Score

The passing score for each exam (based on a scaled score) is 500. The minimum possible score is 100. The maximum possible score is 700. For more information about scaled scoring, please see “Understanding the Score Report” and “How the Passing Score Was Set” in this handbook.