HR Certification

This study group is facilitated by current HRACC members who have their certification. The general structure of the study group is for students to read the assigned chapters and complete the chapter tests prior to the study group. The study group will include open discussions, review of the chapter tests, and a group activity which will vary from session to session.

If you are in need of a refresher course or simply need a study partner, sign up today. For questions or more information contact Rob Weil at past.president@hraccfresno.org

*Non-members can apply for HRACC membership using the online membership application. Membership must be approved and paid ($75) before registering for certification under the member rate. Membership will be effective until December 31, 2009. 2009 members will have the opportunity to receive a 10% discount off their 2010 Membership fee ($65).

INTRODUCTION

Human Resource Certification is the symbol of professional achievement. Beyond experience and education, the PHR or SPHR and/or GPHR designation signifies that you have mastered the HR body of knowledge. Certification provides:

• National recognition of your professional achievement.
• An aid for career advancement.
• A reminder to peers and coworkers of your professional achievement through the use of your certification designation on business correspondence and by displaying the certificate

CERTIFICATION EXAMS AVAILABLE

PHR, SPHR and GPHR Exam Overview

PHR and SPHR Exams

The Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) exams are both based on U.S. laws, regulations and practices and are generalist in nature (i.e., they assess all the functional areas of the HR field). They differ 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. HRCI exams are offered only in English.

Test questions on both exams reflect the most recently published test specifications (see Appendix A). The exams are multiple choice and consist of 200 scored questions plus 25 pretest questions randomly distributed throughout the exam (a total of 225 questions). 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, HRCI offers an online assessment exam composed of actual exam questions that have appeared on previous exams but were removed from the item bank to develop the assessment exam. Before registering for the PHR or SPHR exam, consider taking this online assessment exam. The assessment exam exposes candidates to the types of questions on the actual exam. For more information about the assessment exam (including fees), visit the HRCI Web site at www.hrci.org .

Take the HRCI Online Assessment Exam for PHR or SPHR ( www.hrci.org ).

GPHR Exam

Globalization is the defining political and economic force in the world today. It requires new ways of thinking and responding. For HR professionals, recognizing and understanding this phenomenon is fast becoming a job requirement. The purpose of the new Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHRTM) certification is to assess your mastery of the necessary knowledge to be successful in this worldwide marketplace.

Exam questions reflect the most recently published test specifications (see Appendix B). The exams are multiple choice and consist of 150 scored questions plus 15 pretest questions randomly distributed throughout the exam (a total of 165 questions). 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.

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.

Certification Denial and Revocation

Certification may be denied or revoked for any of the following reasons:

• Falsification of work experience or other information on the exam application.
• Misrepresentation of work experience or other information on the exam application.
• Violation of testing procedures.
• Failure to pass the certification exam.
• Failure to meet recertification requirements.

Candidates whose certifications are denied or revoked should contact HRCI for more information about how to appeal the denial or revocation. There is no appeal based on failure to pass the exam or to recertify.

For more information on test fees, application information, computer-based exam delivery and test center locations please visit www.hrci.org

Special Note:

HRCI Offers an Online Assessment Exam to assist in preparation for the certification exam
PHR and SPHR Online Assessment Exam

HRCI offers an online assessment exam for both the PHR and SPHR exams. This assessment will help determine if you are ready to take the exam by assessing strengths and weaknesses in each of the six functional areas of HR. This will help focus study efforts.
The assessment exam will:

There are numerous PHR and SPHR “practice” exams available to candidates as part of packaged preparation materials and on the Internet. The HRCI assessment exam is the only one developed by HRCI, using actual exam questions, for PHR and SPHR candidates. Use this assessment tool before registering for the exam.
To learn more about the assessment exam and cost, please visit the HRCI Web site at www.hrci.org.