By Nancy A. Woolever, MAIS, SHRM-SCP, Vice president, certification, SHRM
How does a SHRM-Certified HR professional show his or her employer that their contributions are relevant, add value, and that they remain dynamic contributors to the organization’s competitive advantage through a process of on-going development? This and other key questions became the focus for the SHRM certification team in 2023. The answers set the stage for 2024 and beyond. While it is true that 2023 was another year of growth and outsized achievements, the SHRM certification team specifically challenged itself to understand the needs of SHRM-certified professionals and aspiring SHRM-certified professionals more deeply by examining information and data from the past as it relates to guiding those with whom we engage in the future.
Creating and maintaining data-driven specifications for HR Professionals. The critical contribution that SHRM Certification provides to the profession is compiling and codifying the universal criteria, requirements, guidelines and specifications that define the HR profession. Anchored by data and extensive research, the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge® embodies the core principles, knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors that define HR—in the words and from the expert input of HR professionals who practice HR daily, all over the world. The SHRM BASK in turn provides the blueprint for the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams. Equally as important, it provides a framework to which programs, content and products are linked across SHRM. It also serves as the anchor to which all Recertification Providers tie their program offerings that SHRM-Certified professionals use toward recertifying their credentials—including SHRM chapters, state councils and academically-aligned institutions.
To remain current, relevant and dynamic, the SHRM Certification team regularly examines how the profession is changing and evolving at various points in time. This work starts by involving you as the HR subject matter experts to inform updates to the framework, and to ensure the SHRM BASK is universally applicable, includes many HR professionals across the world. This year is no different—we began examining which parts of the HR profession are evolving at a more-rapid pace, thus requiring broader attention or expanded representation in the SHRM BASK®. Two primary areas emerged as evolving quickly: inclusion, equity and diversity (IE&D), and artificial intelligence (AI). As a result, SHRM is currently conducting an interim practice analysis to keep the universal definitions of HR practice, application of knowledge and best-practice behaviors timely, suitable and accurate in these two rapidly-evolving disciplines. The results of the current research will culminate in survey research in early 2024 asking for feedback from HR professionals across the world to rate how important it is to master knowledge of these disciplines and what level of proficiency is required to perform them competently in everyday HR work. This current effort is an interim step toward a full practice analysis that will occur in another year or two.
Far-reaching analyses like this and other analyses conducted regularly during testing windows, contributed to SHRM being granted re-accreditation through 2029 from the Buros Center for Testing at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln for the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certifications during 2023.
SHRM Certification by the numbers. In 2023, SHRM Certification surpassed 135,000 total certified, has experienced a record number of test-takers and a record number of already-certified professionals who maintained their certification through recertification. By the end of 2023, we will have recruited over 40,000 applicants to take either the SHRM-CP or the SHRM-SCP exam. The Recertification Provider program thrives with more than 3,700 providers in the ecosystem to support 20,000 SHRM-Certified Professionals due to recertify in 2023 and 50,000 more due to recertify in 2024. SHRM also began offering native-language tests this year to those who live in nations where Arabic is the first language and to those who live in South Korea, whose first language is Korean.
SHRM certifications continue to be the certifications most relevant to the work HR professionals do each day according to feedback from examinees who refer other candidates to take either the SHRM-CP or the SHRM-SCP. This explains why eight out of ten aspiring certificants choose to pursue the SHRM-CP or the SHRM-SCP. Research completed in 2023 points to candidates’ desire for increased credibility, skills and confidence as the primary drivers for individuals who choose to take the SHRM-CP or the SHRM-SCP exam. Additionally, 90% of those who earn a SHRM certification report that their supervisors are more likely to give them the opportunity to manage or respond to difficult situations, and 79% report they have taken on higher level responsibilities.
Part of managing a large certification program includes being inquisitive and asking questions to inform the future of the program and to provide the touchpoints that guide HR professionals along the pathway toward SHRM certification.
Supporting Your Commitment to Earning and Maintaining SHRM Certification
SHRM Certification is as accessible as it is achievable. The SHRM Certification Team is committed to the success of every candidate pursuing and maintaining the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP after earning it through examination. Starting the journey? Key factors will lead to your success. Embrace and follow this proven pathway—it has led to success for so many others who have gone before you down this same path.
Make the first decision—which exam should I take—based on the work you do every day. Set yourself up for success by applying for and studying for the exam level that matches the work you currently perform. A word of caution: take the SHRM-SCP only if you are already performing senior- or executive-level work; if you want to eventually hold a senior- or executive-level position, take the SHRM-CP first.
Next, use the certification website (shrm.org/certification) to search for, consume and digest information to make other decisions and take actions to achieve the goal of earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. The certification website is organized based on user experiences. The site features simple navigation and easy-to-access information.
One-Stop Shop for Certification Information
Specific pages within the SHRM Certification website provide details on certification levels, exam preparation, academic program alignment, military service member resources, corporate group exam enrollments and global applicant opportunities, recertification requirements and recertification providers.
Preparing for the exam? The webpage on exam preparation encourages your to start at the beginning by familiarizing yourself with the contents of the SHRM BASK because it is the framework or taxonomy from which the test questions and the SHRM Learning System are derived. Next, study the SHRM Learning System to master content and familiarize yourself with the behavioral competencies, subcompetencies and proficiency indicators that define what best-practice behavior looks like at work. Then round out your study plan by using the Self-Study resources. These include the official study guide, Ace Your SHRM Certification Exam, its accompanying workbooks featuring practice questions for both the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams, plus webinars, virtual learning sessions and study options available in various modalities. Note that an e-copy of the study guide is included with the SHRM Learning System.
The practice question sets in the workbooks specifically respond to increasing demand from customers to have access to recently administered, but now retired, operational test items so they can practice more taking multiple choice tests. In addition to the pretest and the timed practice test in the SHRM Learning System, these practice question sets provide a realistic preview of the operational exam content, the exam’s structure and the content landscape covered on the exams. The workbooks that supplement the Ace Your SHRM Certification Exam guidebook also provide drilled-down information about item difficulty and rationales that support the Keyed response, and where applicable, the rationales that explain why a response option is incorrect. There are separate workbooks for each exam level and are available through SHRM Store.
The ideal amount of time to study is approximately three months before your exam appointment. Testers who follow the process described above and prepare using the suggested resources pass the exams at a higher rate than those who do not use the suggested resources.
You Earned it, now Keep it
To start your recertification journey, visit shrm.org/certification to explore the wide variety of options, to understand recertification options and types, and to explore the current listing of pre-approved recertification providers.
A key point: the point of becoming certified is to maintain certification by remaining current in the profession, growing and developing in a way that makes sense for you as an individual and that meets your organization’s needs as well. In other words, the key point of recertification is this—it’s about continuous and on-going development. Our goal is to help guide your development through recertification activities that interest you and your organization, make sense and are manageable within the other daily demands for your time. Remember: Recertification is not about logging credits in the portal—though that is part of the process. It is primarily about choosing the right way, program, event, volunteer opportunity or speaking or writing opportunity that helps you develop as an HR professional. Be relentless about developing yourself!
Need a starting point? The SHRM Certification team can help guide your thinking by providing additional information to link any SHRM-certified professional’s test results report and design an individualized development plan—one that aligns to strengths and opportunities, and that also accounts for your organization’s priorities for individual or team development. Three key areas should comprise your development path and be integrated into your planning.
Learn. What greater source awaits any SHRM-Certified HR professional than SHRM Educational Programs? Consider the seminars, educational programs, e-Learning programs, webcasts, webinars and events and conferences and those offered by SHRM and Linkage—A SHRM Company as your first stop as you think about the options. You can earn all 60 required Professional Development Credits (PDCs) by advancing your education through learning. Ranging from the basics to niche topics, any HR professional can learn from a wide variety of programs offered in varying formats, synchronous or asynchronous, virtual or in-person. In late 2022, SHRM also acquired Linkage, Inc. whose focal point is leadership development, developing women leaders and leading in the inclusion and diversity space. In addition, SHRM’s education department added two new Specialty Credentials in November 2023 to its already-broad slate of learning programs.
Include SHRM Events as part of your planning too. And to supplement learning activities offered by SHRM, explore the many options for learning available locally through your local SHRM Professional Chapter or State Council and included on the SHRM Events link above. Check out the offerings provided by the pre-approved list of SHRM Recertification Providers as well. More than 40,000 programs are available in this rich ecosystem that includes 3,700+ organizations. All SHRM Chapters, State Councils and Academically Aligned Institutions are also officially-recognized SHRM Recertification Program organizations. Myriad choices; myriad learning options. The world is literally your learning oyster! Explore all these options in your SHRM Certification portal account by searching for activities available from these many providers.
Improve Your Workplace. Complete a workplace project to improve your workplace and earn PDCs by completing the project. Any project linked to one of the 14 HR functional areas or one of the nine behavioral competencies in the SHRM BASK, and the project can be used toward recertification under the advance your organization category. You can earn a total of 30 PDCs (of the required 60) in this category. Guidelines for creating a workplace improvements project are available on the SHRM Certification web site. Different credit levels match different investment of time over a certain number of months. Details are included online. Consider applying what you learn at a learning program to create an innovative solution at work. A great example is available on the web site for those who complete SHRM’s Inclusive Workplace Culture Specialty Credential.
Advance the Profession of HR. A final option to earn PDCs awaits you in the category of advancing the profession. Here too, you can earn up to 30 PDCs across your three-year recertification period. This category includes activities like SHRM or local SHRM chapter membership, writing articles, book chapters or books, teaching and making presentations, and volunteering activities. Volunteerism is a great way to give back to the profession. A list of eligible volunteer activities is included in your SHRM certification portal account and on the recertification webpage. Whether you choose to serve in a SHRM leadership volunteer role, a local chapter or state council volunteer role, or volunteer to support SHRM certification test development, you can earn various amounts of PDCs toward recertification based on how you choose to volunteer.
SHRM Certification: Accessible. Achievable.
I hope you will explore the SHRM Certification website, https://www.shrm.org/certification to learn more about the simple, easy-to-follow process to become a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential holder.
SHRM is excited to see what the future holds! If you are considering HR certification, I invite you to join the SHRM family in 2024 by earning your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP and to also leverage the numerous and varied methods available to study and prepare in a way that suits you, your needs and your schedule best.
Society for Human Resource Management
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