Since I successfully completed the SHRM-SCP and SPHRi certifications, I’ve received numerous messages about how to prepare for these top-notch HR certifications. On several messages that I was able to catch up to I went back to tell people that I will be writing up a blog about it so that it’s clearer for those considering to enroll from the point of view of someone who has already done the tests. In this blog, I will try to do my best to answer ‘which’ certification and ‘how’ to best prepare for your assessment by sharing my journey and experience, and to review all three certifications so that those readers who are not sure which certification to go for may better be able to make their decision.
When I was evaluating the three HR certification bodies, I had to factor in that I was already holding a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations, and that I had over 6 years of solid HR Business Partnership experience in a leading global brand. In order for me to consider which HR certification to go for, I had to make sure that it would be one that would challenge me beyond my tertiary education and work experience. Asking myself this question helped me a lot in making my two choices – SHRM-SCP and SPHRi certifications respectively.
DISCLAIMER: I was not paid to write this review. This is strictly a personal review based on my experience. If you have a difference in opinion or have any questions to ask, please feel free to comment below the article.
Alright, let’s jump right into it then!
Is CIPD the right certification for you?
CIPD is a leading UK-based HR body. If you work in the Middle East, it’s probably not uncommon to see this certification being quoted as part of the ‘preferable’ qualifications for HR jobs. In fact, I don’t recall ever seeing any job ad in the Middle East stating any of the other leading HR certifications.
I worked in an organization where most of my expat HR colleagues were from the UK and the ones I knew were CIPD qualified were the first go-to people I reached out to. Based on my conversations, I understood that CIPD is not a one-time assessment and that there are three levels of CIPD qualifications with different complexity levels within each qualification (see this link for clarity).
In order to understand better, I went to the above link in the official CIPD website and called up the UK hotline to speak to a representative. I was on the phone with the sales rep for roughly 30-minutes discussing which level of the qualification would be the right fit for me. Based on our discussion, I came to the conclusion that if you already hold a Master’s Degree in HR, there’s no need to do CIPD. Unlike HRCI and SHRM, CIPD is less of an HR certification and more of a university equivalent degree. Therefore, CIPD was not an option for me.
Is HRCI the right certification for you?
HRCI has been a leading HR certification provider for over 40 years in the US. When looking at their website, I noticed they have a range of certifications that suit HR professionals at different levels of their career and specialty area. This is perhaps a distinguished advantage of HRCI over other certification bodies – see the full list of their certifications by clicking here.
At the time when I was reviewing their certifications, I was no longer working as an international HR Business Partner and had I known about them when I first started my career in HR, I would’ve opted for the Global Professional in Human Resources. So I went ahead for SPHRi certification since at this point I was already preparing for SHRM-SCP. It was not until I started reading the SPHR exam preparation materials that I learned how relevant and useful as this certification would be to my professional development in HR Business Partnership because it covers all the predominant areas of work of any HR Business Partner at a senior level.
Is SHRM the right certification for you?
For me, SHRM was definitely the top certification of choice. It’s not because I knew much about SHRM at the time or the weight of a SHRM certification on someone’s CV – it was the fact that SHRM website gave out enough information that I was able to determine with confidence to say ‘yes, this is the one!’.
Even the fact that SRHM was the biggest global HR institute was not enough for me to sign up for it. It was strictly the detailed information provided on the SHRM website which explained clearly that SHRM is a globally recognized HR certification which tests based on competencies that are globally researched and updated. This was enough for me to know that SHRM is what I was looking for. Moreover, when you sign up for SHRM membership, regardless of where you are in your HR career, there are endless resources to help you and your organization.
Similar to HRCI, SHRM covered all areas of my role as an HR Business Partner and some more. It was not until 2 years after I obtained my certification that I realized how much content is covered under SHRM. When I started preparing for Change Management as the next area of professional development, I learned that I was already aware of a number of concepts because of the material I had studied for in SHRM exam preparation books.
You can read more about SHRM competency model by clicking here.
How to Prepare for SHRM and HRCI?
I’m a self-learner so I opted for self-learning for both certifications. Thanks to the Internet and advancement of technology, both SRHM and HRCI make sure that their exam preparation material is available in application stores on your phone or on your desktop computers, and in the traditional book format. I prepared using the physical books so that I could put markers and notes but you can also do this on the computer so it’s really up to the test taker to choose their best option of testing.
Both exams are computer based multiple-choice.
Things to keep in mind while preparing for, during and after the exams:
- Self-discipline and time-keeping: If you are opting for self-study like I did, you will need to commit enough personal time to prepare for SHRM and HRCI exams. The amount of content is thorough and covers many topics in HR, and in order to be fully prepared for the exam, you will have to pay with your time generously to make sure all the books are covered as part of your preparation plan.
- Go beyond the books: It took me three attempts to pass SHRM-SCP. While I failed in the first two attempts, I learned that all the HR articles and business audio books that used to listen to in the car while driving to/from work helped a great deal in keeping up with the ever-growing world of HR. If you really want to get into the belly of the beast, I recommend going beyond the official preparation books and get additional test preparation material from Amazon such as practice questions, flashcards, and articles that are recommended for further reading within the SHRM/HRCI books.
- Time is your biggest challenge: While I didn’t pass SHRM-SCP on the first two attempts, the biggest challenge for me was the time allotted. Even though it is 4-hours long and you would think that should be enough to complete it, it’s not always the case depending on how fast you read and how quickly you can make sound HR decisions at a leadership level based on the scenarios you are given.
- Once you finish the exam, HRCI final results are provided within 24-hours. SHRM will provide an instant but unconfirmed result as soon as you complete the exam. This is due to the differences in the way each institute tallies scores for their pool of applicants. The final SHRM results are provided roughly 3-weeks after the exam window period is over.
- Both HRCI and SHRM certifications are valid for 3.5 years and 3 years respectively and you will need to commit to ongoing learning and development in the field of HR in order to maintain your status as a master professional in your field.
- HRCI and SHRM both provide an electronic badge and a beautifully printed certificate once you’ve successfully completed the assessments. I find the electronic badges particularly useful because you can instantly use them in your LinkedIn profile and add the links to your new e-mail signature title or to your CV.
It is important to remember that even if you pass the SHRM or HRCI certification exams and become known as the master in your field in HR, the buck doesn’t stop here because learning never stops. Learning and development is a lifetime commitment that has to be intentional regardless of where you are in your career – whether you’re a beginner with no experience or a pro with decades of work experience behind you.
Last but not least, your certification will only bring value to your organization if you are able to translate what you’ve learned into your daily practice.