The HR Certification Institute announced it’s going to stiffen eligibility requirements for certification exams, mainly by demanding more education and experience from those who seek professional status.
The new requirements will take effect in 2011. (Right now, two years’ experience of exempt-level HR work is required before you can take the PHR, SPHR, or GPHR exams.) Here’s a summary of the new standards for exam-taking:
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR) requires exempt-level HR practical experience for four years if the individual doesn’t have a Bachelor’s degree, two years with a Bachelor’s degree, or one year with a Master’s degree or higher.
- Senior Professional in HR (SPHR) calls for seven years of experience if you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree, five years with a Bachelor’s , or four years with a Master’s or higher.
- Global Professional in HR (GPHR) requires at least two years’ working for a global employer and four years’ experience if you have less than a Bachelor’s degree, three years’ experience with a Bachelor’s, or two years of global experience with a Master’s.
If you’re already certified and want to renew in 2011 by taking an exam, you’ll have to meet the new eligibility requirements. For more information about the overall certification process, go to www.hrci.org/certification/ov/
