Blog Post: Hurry... You Need Your PHR/SPHR/GPHR Now!!

Thinking about you career in HR and your future?  Many feel that receiving national certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) is a great next step for their careers.   If you are considering this option… here are some facts you should know- THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE CHANGING!

 There are 4 types of certifications available…

• PHR® (Professional in Human Resources)
• SPHR® (Senior Professional in Human Resources)
• GPHR® (Global Professional in Human Resources)
• PHR-CA® and SPHR-CA® (PHR with state certification in California and SPHR with state certification in California )

Certification is a voluntary action by a professional group to establish a system to grant recognition to professionals who have met a stated level of training and work experience. Certified individuals are usually issued a certificate attesting that they have met the standards of the credentialing organization and are entitled to make the public aware of their credentialed status, usually through the use of initials (i.e., PHR or SPHR) after their names. Certifications differ from certificate programs because certifications include an experience component. Certificate programs, on the other hand, award certificates once a course of study has been completed and do not require previous work experience (www.hrci.org.)  

HRCI has made public that they are changing the eligibility requirements for who can sit for their exams.  These changing requirements will begin in 2011!  Currently, to be eligible to sit for the PHR, SPHR and GPHR exam, candidates must have at least two years of exempt-level (professional) HR work experience.

Only two years exempt HR level experience… no problem, Right?!  Well, in 2011… that experience will not be enough.  Here is what the eligibility requirements will be starting with the 2011 May/June testing window. 

The NEW ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

PHR Eligibility

• 1 year of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher
• 2 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree
• 4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree

SPHR Eligibility

•4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher
• 5 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree
• 7 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree

GPHR Eligibility

• 2 years of demonstrated global exempt-level HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher
• 3 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience (with 2 of the 3 being global HR experience) with a Bachelor’s degree
• 4 years of demonstrated exempt-level HR experience (with 2 of the 4 being global HR experience) with less than a Bachelor’s degree

http://www.hrci.org/certification/docs/hrci-mr-tab2-1461.htm

Not sure if certification is the right move for you… check out the HR Jobs available online…  these days (especially in San Diego County ) we are seeing more and more employers requesting that their HR applicants be PHR certified at a minimum.  Even those HR Professionals in the most secure positions need to be proactive in keeping themselves marketable. 

The San Diego Employers Association (SDEA) helps HR Professionals prepare for their Certification Exams year after year. For more information go to www.sdea.com.  

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