13 HR certifications can help you advance in your career
What are certificates in HR?
HR certifications are credentials that are usually earned by passing competency-based tests and getting a certain title. Most HR jobs don’t require certification to apply for or get the job, but adding a certification to your resume can make you a more attractive candidate to employers. Having an HR certification shows that you’re committed to the field and shows off the skills you’ve gained from working in HR. There are many HR certifications you can work toward, and each one focuses on a different set of skills and levels of experience.
13 HR certifications show how good you are at HR
Here are some certifications that can help you move up in your human resources career:
- PHR stands for “Professional in Human Resources,” and the HR Certification Institute offers this certification (HRCI). This certification can help HR professionals who work for an HR director or other senior HR managers. To get your PHR certification, you’ll have to pass a three-hour test that covers things like putting in place new programs and learning about HR laws and rules in the U.S. If you pass the test, you’ll be certified for three years. After that, you can retake the test or show proof of professional development hours to get recertified.
- aPHR: The Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) certification is for HR professionals who are just starting out and want to build their credentials right away. Because the candidates are new to HR, aPHR training focuses on the basics of what an HR professional does and some general strategies for doing HR work well. This certification is good for three years and you can get it by passing a test that takes about two hours. Either get 45 hours of recertification credits or take the test again to get it renewed.
- SPHR
Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) is a title that senior HR managers can get. This certification test has more difficult questions than the PHR certification test. For example, it has questions about planning for long-term goals and keeping an HR department accountable and in charge. The SPHR certification is good for three years after you pass the test, but you can get it again if you retake the test or show that you keep learning in your field. - PHRi : PHRi stands for “Professional in Human Resources, International,” and the HRCI gives the certification. This certification is great for HR pros who work with employees in different parts of the United States or in other countries. The PHRi exam takes just over three hours and covers topics like finding talent, HR administration, talent management and development, and HR administration. You can take the PHRi test if you have any of the following:
With a master’s degree and a year of experience,
A bachelor’s degree and two years of experience are required.
A high school diploma and four years of experience are required.
You can get a PHRi certification that is good for three years if you pass the PHRi exam and show the right credentials. After three years, you can either show that you’ve earned 60 recertification credits or retake the test to keep the credential.
- SPHRi
SPHRi, which stands for Senior Professional in Human Resources – International, is a certification that is similar to PHRi, but it is for people who have more experience at a senior level of professional HR work. The test covers topics like business leadership, talent management, and HR service delivery because the candidates work at a high level. You should also know the employment laws of the place where you want to work. To apply for the exam, you must have one of the following HR credentials:
With four years of experience and a master’s degree,
Five years of work experience and a bachelor’s degree.
A high school diploma and seven years of experience.
After your credentials are checked and you pass the SPHRi exam, you’ll get a three-year certification. The credential will need to be renewed by showing 60 hours of professional development, with 15 of those hours in business management and strategy, or by taking the test again.
- GPHR
The GPHR, or Global Professional in Human Resources, certification is especially helpful for HR professionals who want to work in international human resources. Most people who want to get GPHR certification are interested in global HR practices. Because of this, the required exam covers things like HR responsibilities and policies that help international employees and business operations. You need at least one of the following combinations of credentials to apply for this certification:
Two years of international work experience and a master’s degree.
Three years of experience (two of which must be abroad) and a bachelor’s degree are required.
Four years of experience (two of which must be abroad) and a high school diploma are required.
After making sure you have the right credentials, you’ll take an exam that certifies you for three years or until you get 60 hours of professional development credits and can reapply.
- HRMP
HRMP stands for “Human Resources Management Professional,” and it’s for HR managers who have a lot of experience and work as HR professionals. For the HRMP certification exam, you’ll need to know about things like HR strategy, creating new policies, and foreign employment laws. To apply for this certification and take the required exam, you must have a combination of the following:
With four years of experience and a master’s degree,
Five years of work experience and a bachelor’s degree.
A high school diploma and seven years of experience.
Once you have the right documents, you can take the test. If you pass, you will be certified for three years. For recertification, you’ll need to show that you’ve done 60 hours of professional development or take the test again.
- HRBP
HRBP stands for “Human Resources Business Professional.” This certification is made for people who are just starting out in HR. Because you might already have some basic knowledge, the HRBP exam tests your operational skills as well as your knowledge of technical protocol and operational conventions for places outside of the United States. To apply for HRBP certification, you must have at least one of the following:
With a master’s degree and a year of experience,
A bachelor’s degree and two years of experience are required.
A high school diploma and four years of experience are required.
After getting the right credentials, you can take the HRBP exam to get a three-year certification. Then, you can apply for re-certification by showing proof of 60 hours of professional development or by taking the test again.
9. SHRM-CP
The Society for Human Resource Management offers the SHRM-CP, or Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional, certification. People who want this certification usually start looking for it early in their HR careers. The certification is mostly about how to use new policies and strategies in the workplace, as well as how to talk to employees and do basic HR tasks. The certification is similar to the PHR in that it covers leadership, ethics, critical thinking, and communication. To get SHRM-CP certification, you have to pass an exam and keep your certification for three years before you can reapply.
- SHRM-SCP
SHRM-SCP stands for Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional. It is designed for HR professionals who are further along in their careers or hold higher positions in their HR department. The SHRM-SCP exam covers things like analyzing performance and making long-term goals for a company. Like with the SHRM-CP certification, candidates for the SHRM-SCP don’t have to be SHRM members before taking the exam. - CPTD
Association for Talent Development (ATD) offers CPTD certification, which stands for “Certified Professional in Talent Development.” This is a specialized certification program for business professionals, like HR workers. This certification focuses on improving a professional’s personal, professional, and organizational skills, such as managing compensation and benefits and resolving workplace conflicts. You need at least one of the following combinations of credentials to apply for the CPTD program:
Five years of work experience and 60 hours of professional development in the last five years
Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) certification and four years of work experience are also good.
Once you have the right credentials, you can sign up for and take the CPTD exam, which takes three hours and has both multiple-choice and case-management questions. The CPTD certification is good for three years after you pass the test, but you can get it again by showing that you have continued to improve professionally.
12. IPMA-CP
The IPMA-CP certification is offered by the International Public Management Association for Human Resources. It gives candidates the title of Certified Professional. The IPMA-CP certification is different from most other certifications because it focuses on HR in the public sector. Most other certifications are meant to help companies in the private sector. At any level, you need to have worked in the public sector to get this certification, and you can offer any of the following credential combinations:
Two years of experience, a master’s degree, and at least one year of HR work in the public sector.
Four years of experience, with at least one year in human resources in the public sector, and a bachelor’s degree are required.
Six years of HR experience, with at least one year of that experience in the public sector, and an associate degree are required.
A high school diploma and eight years of experience, with at least one year in HR in the public sector.
You can take the IMPA-CP exam online, and your certification will last for three years before you have to reapply.
13.PHR-CA
HR professionals in California can get the PHR-CA, which stands for “Professional in Human Resources in California,” and the SPHR-CA, which stands for “Senior Professional in Human Resources in California.” These credentials are given out by the HR Certification Institute. They are similar to the PHR and SPHR certifications, but they also include information about California laws. For the PHR-CA and SPHR-CA exams, you’ll need to know about HR operations as well as the laws, rules, and HR practices in California. Both the PHR-CA and the SPHR-CA certifications are good for three years before they need to be renewed.