Through the years, I’ve received many questions in regard to the differences between SHRM certification exams (SHRM CP and SCP) and HRCI certification exams (PHR and SPHR). In this post, I will compare the 2 exams for your review and provide you a recommendation to your preparation. Let’s learn “the rules of the game” today, shall we!
The similarities:
- Both are multiple choice & computer-based exams. Therefore, mastering the elimination process using for multiple choice exams is important for both tests. If you are more comfortable using pen and paper, ask for pen and paper when taking the test so you can map out your thoughts and answers to the questions.
- Even though the knowledge items and structures are broken down into different HR topics. In general, both exams assess your human resources knowledge as a generalist and specialist. HR body of knowledge is the same regardless of the test. My recommendation is to ensure that you have a strong HR knowledge foundation to prepare for either of these 2 exams.
The differences:
- The SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams contain two types of multiple choice questions: standalone
knowledge-based items that assess a candidate’s knowledge and understanding of factual information, and scenario-based
situational judgment items that assess a candidate’s judgment, application, and decisionmaking
skills. It is 3 hours and 40 minutes in length. Knowledge items portion examines your core knowledge of HR functional areas i.e compensation & benefits, workforce planning, employee relations. This tests your HR-specific knowledge as well as HR foundational knowledge. The 2nd portion of the test is the situational judgment questions require your professional capability to make sound HR decision based on your real work experience and HR knowledge. This portion is harder than the core knowledge because there can be more than one potentially correct answer and you have to pick the best possible answer to receive the credit. Hence, the most common-sense, practically effective and sound answer will earn you the credit. The composition of the test is 90 knowledge/40 situational judgment/30 “field test” items.
Candidates for the SHRM-CP exam will have up to 3 hours and 40 minutes to answer a total of 160 questions (90 knowledge/40 situational judgment/30 “field test” items).
Candidates for the SHRM-SCP exam will have up to 3 hours and 40 minutes to answer a total of 180 questions (90 knowledge/60 situational judgment/30 “field test” items).
2. The PHR and SPHR exams contain a mix of multiple choices questions – 175 questions mixing both core knowledge and situational questions. It is 3 hours in length. These exams break down to six core HR functions and a specific percentage of test-questions about these functions.
Each PHR exam consists of 175 multiple-choice questions (150 scored, 25 pre-test). The exam breaks down below:
» Business Management and Strategy (11%)
» Workforce Planning and Employment (24%)
» Human Resource Development (18%)
» Compensation and Benefits (19%)
» Employee and Labor Relations (20%)
» Risk Management (8%)
Each SPHR exam consists of 175 multiple-choice questions (150 scored, 25 pre-test). The exam breaks down below:
» Business Management and Strategy (30%)
» Workforce Planning and Employment (17%)
» Human Resource Development (19%)
» Compensation and Benefits (13%)
» Employee and Labor Relations (14%)
Recommendations For Your Preparation:
As mentioned above, the core knowledge for both exams is the same. Therefore, you don’t need to have 2 separate sets of materials to prepare for each exam. As the matter of fact, I used the same books and materials for both exams and passed them in my first attempts. I always recommend my students to go back to the basics – only use 2 to 3 set of materials and master them well – rather than buying many studying materials but you don’t spend enough time to study them. It is a waste of your money.
In term of which exams are better for you, that is a question you have to examine yourself. My suggestion is to be intentional in your career strategy and decide which certification works for you in term of career path, time-management, and finance. In my opinion, they are both prestigious certifications allowing you to showcase your expertise in Human Resources. How you utilize it after achieving the certifications is up to you.
*(Info Credited to shrm.org & hrci.org) – Exam specifications and content are subject to change at any time without prior notice and at the Society of Human Resources Management’s sole discretion. Please visit www.shrm.org and www.hrci.org for the most current information on their exam content