9 Human Resources Certifications To Consider
If you are a human resources professional, then you’ll have a great deal of responsibility associated with your role.
The lives and careers of the employees that you manage will hang off the decisions you make.
This is where human resources certifications can help you in your HR career. 93% of HR professionals believe that professional growth is a priority.
But what is the best HR certification for advancing your human resources career?
Here are nine human resources certification that you should look into.
What Do HR Professionals Do?
Before we tackle the best certifications for human resources, we should identify why obtaining qualifications is important to the job role.
Most people assume that HR is about hiring people for open vacancies within a company, but there is much more to it. Recruitment is one element of the role.
Once the recruitment process has taken place, an HR professional will take new employees through the onboarding process and manage training.
Then, the HR professional will manage performance. They will also handle everything to do with an employee’s employment. They will handle this right up until they leave the company.
They’ll also handle sensitive areas such as disciplinary matters, grievances, and redundancies. With a wide range of skills and deep knowledge of employment law needed, HR certification courses are an essential part of the job.
Professional in Human Resources (PHR)
The Professional in Human Resources certification is designed for professionals who are responsible for HR management. It is also used in the implementation of programs. The certification follows all relevant U.S. laws.
The course includes a three-hour exam. This covers workforce planning, employee regulations, compensation and benefits, risk management. It also covers HR development and business strategy.
You’ll need to have at least one year’s worth of HR experience and have a master’s degree. Or, you might have two year’s worth of experience and a bachelor’s degree.
Human Resources International (PHRi)
Earning PHRi certification will allow you to carry out your role across borders.
The PHRi very similar registration criteria to the PHR. The PHRi will give you a competitive edge in your workplace.
Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP)
This is a certification that is offered by the world’s largest association for people working within the field of training and development, the ATD.
To be eligible to complete the CPLP, you will need to have either four or five years of experience in the HR profession. This will depend on your education level.
You’ll need to sit a knowledge exam and a skills test. The registration fee for the CPLP is $900 for members of the ATD and $1,250 for non-members.
Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
The Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) is offered by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI). The course is designed for HR management and is built around U.S. regulations and employment law.
This differs from the Professional in Human Resources certification. The differences are that there is more of a focus on policymaking and strategy.
To register for this certification, you will need to have at least four years of experience within an HR role. You will also need a master’s degree.
You may also be able to undertake the certification having only a bachelor’s degree with extra on-the-job experience.
SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
A member-based organization, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), offers two levels of competency-based certifications.
The SHRM Certified Professional looks at policy implementation, strategy, and service delivery.
There is a four-hour exam required as part of the certification. This has 160 questions. These include a mixture of situational judgment questions as well as knowledge questions.
Requirements for this certification vary depending on your level of education. These start at four years for those with less than a Bachelor’s degree.
Senior SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)
The next level of qualification offered by the SHRM is the Senior SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
The SHRM-SCP certification focuses on advanced knowledge of HR strategy. It is designed for HR professionals who act as an HR lead and who specialize in performance metrics and key performance indicators.
There will be a four-hour exam, in which there will be 160 questions.
You will be required to have six or seven years of experience if you have lower than a bachelor’s degree.
Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR)
The Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) certification is one of the most recognized talent acquisition qualifications in the industry.
The CIR is regarded as the gold standard for internet recruitment. and is generally sought by companies that are looking to hire the best recruiters.
Advanced Certified Internet Recruiter (ACIR)
The Advanced Certified Internet Recruiter (ACIR) is the next-level internet recruitment certificate.
The ACIR certification will take recruiters above and beyond the Certified Internet Recruiter. It will also provide them with more radical ways to source passive candidates.
Professional Recruiter Certification (PRC)
The Professional Recruiter Certification (PRC) helps recruitment and HR professionals learn to think in a strategic manner about the acquisition of new talent.
The certification also covers requisition evaluation, as well as methodologies for negotiating.
Choosing the Right HR Certifications
Taking your career in the right direction may mean that you need to undertake one or more human resources certifications.
It is important that you understand how each one will be beneficial to your current role. You should also think about how they will benefit you on the next rung of the ladder.
Think about where you would like your career to be several years from now. Also, examine the trends within your sector. Make sure that you are looking for human resources certifications that will stand you on firm ground in the future.
