Tip No. 1: The exam is based on the SHRM Body of Competency and Knowledge (BoCK).
The SHRM BoCK is the blueprint for the exam and any topic covered in the BoCK may appear as a question on the exam. Hence, you should always rely on the SHRM BoCK when studying for the SHRM certification exams. You can base on the BoCK and use different prep courses and materials to deepen your knowledge. Keep in mind that your purpose to take the courses or use study materials is to identify gaps in your knowledge, deepen your HR foundationally and advance knowledge, and learn as much as you can to pass the exam.
Tip No. 2: Don’t just rely on your experience. Make sure you prepare for the exam.
Many test-takers assume that being qualified for the exam means having enough experience to pass it. Truth is your experience serving as the standard foundation and many assuming HR practices in the workplace may not be the appropriate approaches based on HR professional practices around the world. Make sure to spend the time to study and identify your gap of HR knowledge at every aspect of eight behavior and one technical HR competencies in the SHRM BoCK.
The behavioral competencies are grouped into three subgroups. Each group includes a definition, key concepts and proficiency indicators. Proficiency indicators are examples of what constitutes competent behavior for all HR professionals (SHRM-CP exam) and for advanced HR professionals (SHRM-SCP exam). The technical competency, HR Expertise, consists of 15 functional areas grouped into three knowledge domains. Each area includes a definition, key concepts and proficiency indicators.
The best way to make the most of the exam and studying preparation is to combine your professional experience and your new learning know
Tip No. 3: Pick the “best” answer
SHRM exams have 2 categories – Knowledge items which test your understanding of key concepts and terms and Situational judgment items which test your ability to choose the most effective course of action in a real workplace situation. The knowledge item often has simply right or wrong answer simply based on the foundational knowledge items covered in the SHRM BoCK. The situational judgment questions are more similar and you have to combine both knowledge and experience to select the most “sound” answer. Using some of the test-taking tips below will help you eliminate similar choices and select the “best” answer.
- Read the question, then try to guess the answer before you look at what’s there.
- Begin the elimination process immediately
- Don’t read too much into questions.
- .If two choices are very similar, you must look at other qualifiers such as “always” versus “sometimes.” If only one or two words are different, one is possibly correct.
- Echo options: If two choices are opposite, one of them is probably correct.
- Check for negatives and other words that are there to throw you off. (“Which of the following is not…”)
- The answer is usually wrong if it contains “all, always, never, or none.”
- If you don’t know the right answer, look for the wrong one. Questions options that are totally unfamiliar
Exam Preparation
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