Does it feel good to have “PHR”
added to your title…um…ya!! The bigger question though is “Was it easy?” –
NOPE!!!
Before talking about my
experience, an important thing to note is – there is no ONE BEST WAY to pass
the test – what helps is thorough knowledge on the subject. The first time I
heard of the PHR certification, I thought, well…I have a Masters and some
experience in HR, so this should be easy – Quite the opposite!
Important things to know about
the test:
1. Do
not underestimate the test – it definitely may be motivating to say “Oh! It’s
easy!” which for some may be true – but I did not find it easy. Then again, do
not let it intimidate you – others have done it, you can too :)
2. GLOSSARY
– very very very important!! Not just to understand the concept, but also to
understand what the context of a question is.
3. Every
question must be dealt with an empty mind, in that the “best” answer should be
chosen only from the options given – let’s say the question is on the 1st
priority of OSHA inspection; knowledge on the subject tells us that the 1st
priority is imminent danger, but the options only have Catastrophes, Complaints
and Follow-ups; we would have to forget about imminent danger and pick
catastrophes.
4. Some
say that you should look at the questions first and only after understanding it
look at the answers. This definitely is a good option, but there is no hard and
fast rules on how to answer questions – the best way is to take as many
practice tests as possible and find out what works for you. For me, I had to
read the question once, read the answers and then read the question again with
the context in mind.
5. SHRM
gives all the material you need to study for the test, but the actual test
questions are prepared by HRCI. So make sure you take the online practice tests
that HRCI provides. They have 2 tests for $70 (and one for $35). Now I know $70
is expensive – but it is totally worth it. My recommendation would be to take
the first test atleast 4 weeks before the actual test and the second one 2
weeks before the actual test. The two weeks in between give enough time to work
on problem areas.
There is quite a lot of material
out there to read and learn from – SHRM learning system, Anne Bogardus, Tata
McGraw Hill, Flashcards, iPhone/Android Apps etc. From what I understood, SHRM
learning system and Anne Bogardus seem to be the better ones. I personally used
Anne Bogardus and did not really feel the need to buy the SHRM Learning System.
It doesn’t really matter where you study from, what matters is “HOW”.
In my first attempt, I studied (only)
Anne Bogardus thoroughly – I did! – every word and every page. I was a part of
an online study group, which was very helpful – we discussed doubts, questions
and various perspectives. However, my result was a score of 491 – I failed by 9
points. I felt scared to go into it a second time – mostly because of how much
the exam and other resources cost – but it had to be done. I came across this
8-week course being conducted by Dallas HR and joined it. The sessions were
alright – more than anything, they give you an idea of “how” to prepare and
some extra material to refer to – and most helpful was the study group that
formed from it. I personally learn better in groups, so it worked out for me
pretty well. :)
The big change in my game second
time around was really understanding what I was reading. This helped me
understand how the modules are interlinked – helped in understanding HR as a
whole and not looking at the modules as independent functions. Any word I came
across that I did not understand, I googled it – Case studies, examples,
definitions – anything and everything. Research was my best friend – and I
cannot stress on it enough. Referring to different sources about a topic made
it easier to understand and remember it. Honestly, it took atleast 3 – 4 months
of serious studying to be ready for the test; which obviously differs from
person to person. I started studying in the first week of February taking one
week per module (6 in all). The Dallas HR sessions started late Feb – but since
I had done some modules by then, I was prepared – got most of my doubts
cleared. My test date was May 24th – giving me a good 15 weeks to
study. So I pretty much split them up as follows:
Week 1 – 6 – study all modules
Week 7 – 10 – revisited modules,
memorized various acts and court cases
Week 11 – 15 – do as many
practice tests as possible
And no…I did not put in 13 – 14
hrs / day…I only studied for a maximum of 8 hrs a day – but I kept talking to
myself all day about what I learnt and also kept discussing different topics with
my husband to get another perspective.
It is always helpful to make your
own flashcards. There is an app on iPhone/iPad called Flashcard Brain – it has
almost the entire glossary of SHRM – quite a helpful app. I cannot emphasize
enough on how important glossary is – knowing every word by heart is extremely
important and helpful in the test.
To sum up, the method you follow
to study/prepare for the test is important – the best method is the one that is
most comfortable to you! Take your time to find which one it is.
GOOD LUCK!!! :D
