I do question the validity of this exam as I also know a friend who just took the SPHR exam and passed it! Mind you this individual has zero HR experience! So my question is, what’s the real reason this PHR/SPHR exam was created? To prove your know the “body of knowledge” that indicates you are well versed in HR, or to learn what you need to learn to sit for four hours and succeed?

With regards to getting off the couch and somewhat being forced to continue learning more and more about your career field, how much more can one learn from a book or class to be considered the best of the best?

I for one, will not take the exam again, as I truly do not believe the PHR/SPHR sets me apart from other professionals who do have the certification. I would really hate to think SHRM or HRCI truly believes those who have certification are better professionals than those who just have the experience. I would really like to see the data/results of who passed and who hasn’t and how their formal education correlates to the success/failure rate. For instance, who passed with a master degree, who passed with a bachelor and how many years of experience in the field.

@chris – Yep, can you believe it? It’s a strong HR program here in Philly, and ‘Nova is a great school, but I was lucky enough to have 4 years of experience. Many of the young bucks are coming in straight from undegrad and finish the program in a year and a half. All of my recruiting has been in staffing/recruiting so I really did need to learn a lot of the information.

Thanks for the nice words. Really appreciate that, and glad we have connected

And from what I’ve heard, people who have their PHR do often feel as though more opportunities open up for them. I just can’t justify giving SHRM any more of my hard earned money because they still have a monopoly of thought on far too many HR professionals.

As an aside – I love your writing style! I’m glad you wrote this guest post – I’m not sure I would have found your blog otherwise.

Cheers!

Chris

I was forced to pass the PHR. Without passing, I wouldn’t be permitted to graduate from Villanovas Human Resources Development Masters program. If you knew what I paid to prepare/pass the test you’d vomit all over your own face.

The point of this post was to discuss some critical points to it, and how it can help someone. Many successful HR folks don’t need this cert, but apparently I was told I DID need it.

Please, carry on your life without the cert. If I wasn’t forced to go through with it, I’m not sure if/when I would have decided to take it.

Thanks again for the comment )

I was forced to pass the PHR. Without passing, I wouldn’t be permitted to graduate from Villanovas Human Resources Development Masters program. If you knew what I paid to prepare/pass the test you’d vomit all over your own face.

The mere point of this post was to discuss some critical points to it, and how it can help someone. Many successful HR folks don’t need this cert, but apparently I was told I DID need it.

Please, carry on your life without the cert. If I wasn’t forced to go through with it, I’m not sure if/when I would have decided to take it.

Thanks again for the comment )

If I’m understanding you right, someone should give SHRM their hard-earned money and study rigorously for a test just so they can tack a few letters after their name and increase their likelihood of getting hired?

And to keep those fancy letters, they need to give SHRM more of their money every few years to stay certified? I’m not buying it!

I get the reality: Some people value the letters tacked after the name. But a lot of people also value blindly following the crowd. That doesn’t make doing so a good business decision.

I think perhaps in gov’t or recruiting with lots of regulations that may not be true – but having marketed & sold into the HR/recruiting industry for 6 years now…it’s a language I and many I know simply don’t speak or understand.

The idea of having to recertify kind of bugs me. I guess in a couple years I may have to do that as well.