Are You Ready to Pursue Your Certification?

Human Resources (HR) Certification serves as an acknowledgement of your mastery of knowledge, skills and competencies that are critical to effectiveness as an HR professional. HR Certification also demonstrates your commitment to the profession and increases your credibility with employers, clients, staff members and professional peers. HR certification is the gold standard that is recognized by most employers and other HR professionals.

HR Certification is based on a computer-based examination of your HR knowledge, skills, and competencies. Presently, there are two organizations that offer professional certifications for HR professionals – The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI).

If you are ready to pursue HR Certification, there are two basic options to prepare to take a certification exam. You can self-study using books and materials that have been specifically developed to help you to prepare for the exam, such as the SHRM Learning System®. The other option is to take a class at a college that partners with SHRM to prepare students to take an HR Certification exam, such as the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams. A list of these partner colleges and specific contact information appears below. If you are interested in preparation options for certification offered by HRCI (including aPHR™, PHR®, SPHR®, GPHR®), see their website (www.hrci.org).

Visit our Certification Committee to learn more about Certification Information.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

SHRM offers two competency-based certifications for HR professionals. Work history and level of experience will determine which path you should pursue: