A Skeptic’s Guide to HR Certification: Part 1
coauthored by AnnE Diemer (cross-posted here)
After about a year of debating about if we should get an HR certification, we decided to do it, but not because we had learned that it was necessary and important. Rather, we wanted to learn if it was necessary and important.
When we applied for the test in January 2024 we were definitely skeptics. (Spoiler alert: we still are.) But we decided that For Science, we’d take the SPHR (Senior Professional of Human Resources) exam through HRCI so we could know for sure.
Throughout the application, study, and test taking process, we took notes on our experience so at the end of this chaotic adventure, we could write the resource we wish we had when we started. And this blog series is that resource!
We have 2 goals:
- Share our takeaways from the study + test experience to help other HR professionals decide if they also want to take this journey.
- Demystify the application, study, and exam process for anyone who decides to pursue a certification.
TL;DR on the whole series: (Though we do hope you read all of it, because there’s more nuance than we can summarize)
We passed the SPHR exam and can now put those letters after our names (when we want to).
Even after passing, we don’t think an HR Certification is necessary for HR professionals.
We were surprised that we enjoyed some aspects of the process.
There are also parts we found frustrating.
HRCI doesn’t provide the clearest instructions for the process.
What to expect from this series
We’ve broken up our experience into 4 sections (not including this one!):
- A Skeptic’s Guide to HR Certification, Part 2: Why we did this - our motivations and certification selection (6/11/2024)
- Part 3: How we studied - resources that were most (and least) helpful (6/18/2024)
- Part 4: Accommodations and test day - how to request accommodations and what to expect on exam day (6/25/2024)
- Part 5: Was it worth it - our takeaways about the process including our overall recommendation about taking the test (7/2/2024)
We wrote this series for:
- HR professionals with any level of experience who are considering pursuing a certification
- HR professionals who decide to pursue an HRCI certification
- Teams who are hiring HR professionals and want to know what it means to acquire an HR certification
HR is a team sport
We prepared for this test and wrote these posts as a team. We encourage you to do the same! And we shouldn’t be the only voices sharing our experience. Please comment on the blogs, our Linkedin posts, or reach out to us directly through our websites. We’re all about community and we want to learn from y’all as well!
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About Krista:
Krista Lane, SPHR (she/her/hers) is a People Consultant, Job Search Coach and Founder at Headwaters HR with over a decade of experience in HR. She thinks in systems — seeing interconnections and collaborating both deeply and cross-functionally to build better workplaces. Her experience in technical recruiting and HR/People Operations, paired with several experiences of burnout, inspired her to fix hiring. That means working with jobseekers and employers in a variety of ways, shaping workplaces so that employees and businesses can thrive.
About AnnE:
AnnE Diemer, SPHR (she/her/hers) is an HR Consultant at aedHR who prioritizes the human in HR. With eight years of recruiting, DEI, and HR generalist experience across tech startups and non-profits, AnnE supports organizations who are ready to take a people-centered approach to HR. She spent the last 3 years supporting progressive Democratic organizations such as NARAL Pro-Choice America and The Hub Project. She approaches her work holding contradictions: How do we build great places to work while also questioning capitalist systems? How can we work efficiently and move quickly while also prioritizing ourselves and each other as humans?
