1. The Study Guide I recommend for the PHR exam is PHR SPHR Study Guide by Sandra Reed. I used the 2012 edition which was authored with Anne Bogardus but the 2018 edition is also a great guide. There are several study guides on the market but IMO, this is the best so far. It is also the most affordable option.
(Practice Questions are just as important as any study guide, if not more. Be sure to practice thousands of questions, review, and retake several times. I aimed to hit 90% because I intended to pass on the first try. I think you should do the same :) )
2. There are several Apps for the PHR exam. The most widely known is called Pocket Prep. However, I used an app on Google play by Upward Mobility, I believe it is called SPHR/PHR Exam Prep or something like that. I bought it for $6. It has over 200 practice questions and explanations which was an affordable resource for my preparation.
For every federal legislation, there are requirements.
Do you know the EEOC applies to companies with 15 employees and above but this was previously 25 employees and above in 1964?
Can E-Verify save your company from the fear of not abiding by the legal requirements that back the Form I-9?
This is so important, (I feel like I say this in every sentence, lol). Apply the knowledge you gain (even if its by making up case studies in your head or googling them). By all means, memorize the important stuff but more importantly, understand the rationale behind the HR policies, practices and procedures.
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
3. For those that tilt towards Online Courses, I will recommend the David Siler Exam Prep. I did not use this resource myself but I have heard good things about it. It is the most pricey option at $425 but has the advantage of a course that prepares you for the HRCI exams and SHRM exams. Check it out if you can afford it.
4. I tried to avoid information paralysis while studying so I advise that you pick the study guide by Sandra Reed/Bogardus and purchase the practice exam books, then START studying. Don't buy like 4 or 5 study guides and end up reading/studying none intensively.
5. The PHR exam requires practical knowledge, so always think of how the EEOC affects recruitment; how COBRA and HIPAA affects Health Insurance; what OSHA regulation is relevant to your workplace etc. Seriously, your PHR study actually becomes interesting when you seek out how each law can be applied in the corporate world.
6. I know it seems too simple but Youtube Videos were essential to my knowledge of the exam material and its application. I had all my HR experience outside the USA and a week after arriving here, I registered for the PHR exams, so I understand the culture shock of how HR is practiced here compared to other countries but any diligent HR practitioner can pass the PHR, trust me.
(I began a Youtube Channel on resources to pass the PHR SPHR SHRM-CP, and SHRM-SCP Exams. Tons and tons of free resources are on there. You should also consider joining the membership which has exclusive resourceful content. Remember to Like and Subscribe!)
7. Stop believing that the PHR is a difficult exam. It only requires intensive study and practical understanding of HR as practiced in the USA. If I can pass it, you can.
8. Know your labor laws and HR regulatory bodies and their requirements. When you see EEOC, OFCCP, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, HIPAA, COBRA and OSHA or Weingarten, it should ring a clear bell to you. You don't need to cram but you need to understand these laws. So do what works, repetition breeds expertise; read and speak these laws again and again.
9. Get a tutor if you need one. I am a PHR SPHR tutor and I will recommend a tutor for busy individuals, HR practitioners outside the USA, and candidates that need the discipline to stick to a study process that a tutor offers. If its all getting too much for you, get a tutor.
10. Get a maximum of 2 really good study guides (book and audio) and then hundreds (if possible, thousands) of practice questions that explain the alternatives, not just the answers. I truly believe that the extra effort I put in to understand the alternatives (a. b. c. d.) of each practice question helped boost my chances of success. This is an example of what I am talking about. Below is a sample practice question;
a. The EEOC regulates compliance of the following except;
- Age
- Genetic Information
- Pregnancy
- Affirmative Action
So the idea is to understand what the EEOC is, then understand the law that relates to Age (ADAAA), to Genetic information (GINA), Pregnancy (Pregnancy Discrimination Act) and Affirmative Action (OFCCP) not just knowing the answer is D.
This made each practice question a study session for me and it is kinda tedious but studying this way significantly increased my understanding of the 6 exam areas. I encourage you to try it as well.
11. Be diligent and disciplined with your study plan. Have a study plan that spans across 4 months. Be tough on yourself and get up to study, set a shrill alarm tone that will wake you up to study. You need to earn the PHR and there is no other way than diligence, sacrifice and discipline.
12. Get a study partner or form/join a study group. Even if you can't find someone taking the exam, convert a friend to your accountability partner. Let their job be to ask if you have followed your study plan, let them ask you practice questions (doesn't matter if they don't understand, you do!). My point is, don't isolate your PHR study. Actually, you can and should actively form a virtual study group. Someone, somewhere around the world is taking the PHR. LinkedIn/Facebook groups are a great resource for determining potential virtual study partners.
13. Understand that not all PHR SPHR functional areas are created equal. So the 5 PHR functional areas have weightings. This is important, stay with me here. So look at the list below;
Functional Area Weights By Percentage PHR || SPHR.
a. Business Management || Leadership & Strategy - 20% || 40%
b. Talent Planning and Acquisition - 16% || 16%
c. Learning & Development - 10% || 12%
d. Total Rewards - 15% || 12%
e. Employee & Labor Relations || Employee Relations & Engagement - 39% || 20%
Now, if I like a functional area with a low weight that will profit me nothing! Understand that after a general study of all the functional areas, take your time to intensively study the functional areas with weights from 18% and above. This is critical, let the percentage weights determine how much study you put in. Study strategically.
14. Simulate the exam as often as you can.
For the PHR, you will be taking 115 questions in 2 hours (For the SPHR, it is 140 questions in 2 hours 30 minutes). Get PHR practice questions that can imitate the test, timing and all. Don't wait to do this at the last minute. I made sure that for every 3 days that I studied, I took the test simulation. Obviously, my test scores initially were really low, but words and patterns began to register in my brain of what will be required and how much more I had to prepare. This fired me up to study as I was intent on getting to my pass percentage of 90%.
13. Understand that not all PHR SPHR functional areas are created equal. So the 5 PHR functional areas have weightings. This is important, stay with me here. So look at the list below;
Functional Area Weights By Percentage PHR || SPHR.
a. Business Management || Leadership & Strategy - 20% || 40%
b. Talent Planning and Acquisition - 16% || 16%
c. Learning & Development - 10% || 12%
d. Total Rewards - 15% || 12%
e. Employee & Labor Relations || Employee Relations & Engagement - 39% || 20%
Now, if I like a functional area with a low weight that will profit me nothing! Understand that after a general study of all the functional areas, take your time to intensively study the functional areas with weights from 18% and above. This is critical, let the percentage weights determine how much study you put in. Study strategically.
14. Simulate the exam as often as you can.
For the PHR, you will be taking 115 questions in 2 hours (For the SPHR, it is 140 questions in 2 hours 30 minutes). Get PHR practice questions that can imitate the test, timing and all. Don't wait to do this at the last minute. I made sure that for every 3 days that I studied, I took the test simulation. Obviously, my test scores initially were really low, but words and patterns began to register in my brain of what will be required and how much more I had to prepare. This fired me up to study as I was intent on getting to my pass percentage of 90%.
15. This exam tests your experiential knowledge - not necessarily your memory. It is based on Federal labor laws not state legislation.
How do you apply knowledge? this is why its important to create scenarios in your brain.
Use a lot of case studies and imagine you are a HR professional and your boss is asking you about the relevance of all these HR procedures, e.g. "why should we post jobs with VEVRAA and are we required to?"
How do you apply knowledge? this is why its important to create scenarios in your brain.
Use a lot of case studies and imagine you are a HR professional and your boss is asking you about the relevance of all these HR procedures, e.g. "why should we post jobs with VEVRAA and are we required to?"
For every federal legislation, there are requirements.
Do you know the EEOC applies to companies with 15 employees and above but this was previously 25 employees and above in 1964?
Can E-Verify save your company from the fear of not abiding by the legal requirements that back the Form I-9?
This is so important, (I feel like I say this in every sentence, lol). Apply the knowledge you gain (even if its by making up case studies in your head or googling them). By all means, memorize the important stuff but more importantly, understand the rationale behind the HR policies, practices and procedures.
Guys, I wish you all the very best but wishes won't help much without intensive study and discipline. Pray as well because God hears and answers prayers :)
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP Real-Time Practice Test - Over 100 Questions. Cost = $5
Hello All!
Hello All!
Below is the paid version of the Real-Time PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP Practice Test.
There are over 100 questions currently and the test costs $5.
Payment is made via PayPal so you can be sure your payment information is secure.
All the best!
Below is the paid version of the Real-Time PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP Practice Test.
There are over 100 questions currently and the test costs $5.
Payment is made via PayPal so you can be sure your payment information is secure.
All the best!
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
PHR, SPHR, GPHR Recertification Guide.
Congratulations!!! You are now a certified HR Professional!
However, if your certification is from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) you are required to renew your certification every 3 years.
So for me, I passed the PHR in 2015 and I am required to go through the recertification process by 2018 which is then valid for the next 3 years and on and on. My PHR certification is valid for 3 years after my test date. If I intend to remain certified, I must earn 60 recertification credits over the 3 years cycle or retake the exam.
How then do you recertify?
- Complete HR professional development / achievement activities that relate to the HR Body of Knowledge. These HR-related activities include;
1. Seminars, webinars, courses (online or in-house), online materials, conferences etc.
2. Work programs, presentations, HR volunteering, HR research or maintaining an HR membership.
- Retake the HRCI certification exam (obviously this is the least preferred!)
HRCI links that will provide more information on the recertification process are listed below;
What Is Recertification?
Recertification Resources
Reporting Your Recertification Credits
Submitting Your Recertification Application
My recertification process was pretty smooth. I decided to take pre-approved courses from www.study.com. I took about 3 or 4 courses (and answered all quizzes) which added up to 60 credits. If you want to go this route, you will have to register for their premium account which costs $59.99. please check this link for more information on Study.com HRCI Recertification Courses and Credits.
A cheaper alternative is to make a list of HR-related activities you have engaged in after testing and submit. Remember, you will be required to provide evidence by an upload or an activity ID as I did with the study.com courses.
One last information, HRCI charges $150 for recertification fees as at early 2017 when I completed the process so do keep that in mind as well.
I hope this helps and congratulations again!
Disclaimer: all images belong to HRCI.
However, if your certification is from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) you are required to renew your certification every 3 years.
So for me, I passed the PHR in 2015 and I am required to go through the recertification process by 2018 which is then valid for the next 3 years and on and on. My PHR certification is valid for 3 years after my test date. If I intend to remain certified, I must earn 60 recertification credits over the 3 years cycle or retake the exam.
How then do you recertify?
- Complete HR professional development / achievement activities that relate to the HR Body of Knowledge. These HR-related activities include;
1. Seminars, webinars, courses (online or in-house), online materials, conferences etc.
2. Work programs, presentations, HR volunteering, HR research or maintaining an HR membership.
- Retake the HRCI certification exam (obviously this is the least preferred!)
HRCI links that will provide more information on the recertification process are listed below;
What Is Recertification?
Recertification Resources
Reporting Your Recertification Credits
Submitting Your Recertification Application
My recertification process was pretty smooth. I decided to take pre-approved courses from www.study.com. I took about 3 or 4 courses (and answered all quizzes) which added up to 60 credits. If you want to go this route, you will have to register for their premium account which costs $59.99. please check this link for more information on Study.com HRCI Recertification Courses and Credits.
A cheaper alternative is to make a list of HR-related activities you have engaged in after testing and submit. Remember, you will be required to provide evidence by an upload or an activity ID as I did with the study.com courses.
One last information, HRCI charges $150 for recertification fees as at early 2017 when I completed the process so do keep that in mind as well.
I hope this helps and congratulations again!
Disclaimer: all images belong to HRCI.
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
FREE ONLINE PHR / SPHR / SHRM QUESTION REVIEW CLASS!!! (REGISTRATION CLOSED, THANK YOU!)
Hello All!
I am organizing a FREE Question Review Class for PHR/SPHR/SHRM candidates that have purchased these books -
1,000 HR Certification Practice Questions With Explanations: PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP
OR
500 HR Certification Practice Questions With Explanations: PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP,: Second Edition.
The FREE classes will be online and in the evenings (8pm -10pm) and will begin December 27, 2016.
If you purchased either book and are interested, please send me a mail at phrcertify@gmail.com.
I wish you success!
I am organizing a FREE Question Review Class for PHR/SPHR/SHRM candidates that have purchased these books -
1,000 HR Certification Practice Questions With Explanations: PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP
OR
500 HR Certification Practice Questions With Explanations: PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP,: Second Edition.
The FREE classes will be online and in the evenings (8pm -10pm) and will begin December 27, 2016.
If you purchased either book and are interested, please send me a mail at phrcertify@gmail.com.
I wish you success!
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
1000 HR Certification Practice Questions AND Updated 500 HR Certification Practice Questions!!!
Hello everyone!
I FINALLY FINALLY finished the 1000 HR Certification Practice Questions for PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP! I am so grateful to the Lord Jesus that I completed the book, it took me a while compiling questions, editing, reviewing explanations, removing duplicate questions, reviewing again..... It was a lot of work and prayers :) Anyway...here it is below! (drum-roll!)
I also updated the book of 500 PHR/SPHR Practice Questions and renamed it 500 HR Certification Practice Questions with Explanations. Check it below!
I wish you success!
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
Updated*******Free PHR Practice Questions On The Web!***********Updated
Hello All,
This post is to give a list of websites that have free (and good!) PHR practice questions for HR certification candidates. Trust me, you can never have enough practice questions!
Here goes;
****Strategic HR Inc offers free PHR practice questions for the 6 HR categories. Check out their solid questions here; Strategic HR Practice Questions .
1. PHR Prep. This gives you 10 questions to practice with, check out the questions with this link; http://phrprep.com/Sample_StartTest.aspx
2. Here is another helpful link; http://www.phrsphressentials.com/practice-questions/
3. Test Prep Review; http://www.testprepreview.com/modules/phr_sphr.htm
4. Distinctive HR has good free questions here; http://www.phrexamprep.com/sample-courses/
5. Cert Gear; http://www.certgear.us/products/preview/phr/index.html
6. Career Tech Online School; http://careertechonlineschool.org/quizzes/phr-certification-practice-quiz/
7. The Change 180; http://www.thechange180.com/phr-sphr-free-online-test.html
There you have it, guys. These will definitely sharpen your PHR knowledge and HR skills.
Let me know what you think!
I wish you success!
This post is to give a list of websites that have free (and good!) PHR practice questions for HR certification candidates. Trust me, you can never have enough practice questions!
Here goes;
****Strategic HR Inc offers free PHR practice questions for the 6 HR categories. Check out their solid questions here; Strategic HR Practice Questions .
1. PHR Prep. This gives you 10 questions to practice with, check out the questions with this link; http://phrprep.com/Sample_StartTest.aspx
2. Here is another helpful link; http://www.phrsphressentials.com/practice-questions/
3. Test Prep Review; http://www.testprepreview.com/modules/phr_sphr.htm
4. Distinctive HR has good free questions here; http://www.phrexamprep.com/sample-courses/
5. Cert Gear; http://www.certgear.us/products/preview/phr/index.html
6. Career Tech Online School; http://careertechonlineschool.org/quizzes/phr-certification-practice-quiz/
7. The Change 180; http://www.thechange180.com/phr-sphr-free-online-test.html
There you have it, guys. These will definitely sharpen your PHR knowledge and HR skills.
Let me know what you think!
I wish you success!
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
Have You Heard of HRCI's Glossary?
Hi guys, you know a glossary is like a brief dictionary of terms, right?
It is an alphabetical list of terms or words found in or relating to a specific subject with definitions or explanations.
Well, HRCI has a glossary which will be helpful to any candidate. Please check the link below.
I wish you success!
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
My Favorite Web Pages For The PHR/SPHR/SHRM Exams.
If you are like me, then you probably use a variety of resources when studying for an exam. I have listed below great resources for passing the PHR exam;
a. PHR/SPHR Study Guide by Sanda Reed and Anne Bogardus (get the latest edition, US HR laws can change)
b. David Siler's PHR/SPHR study guide audio book (you can get this free on audible.com if you are signing up for the first time)
c. Relevant Youtube videos (check my blog post - Youtube Videos Relevant To The PHR/SPHR Exam
d. PHR/SPHR Practice Questions.
However, I was not satisfied with textbook knowledge and was concerned about changes that may have occurred in HR laws after the publication date of the textbooks. I reviewed government websites that enforced labor laws majorly because I knew the information on these websites will be up-to-date.
It is essential/imperative/crucial that your knowledge of HR is up-to-date when taking your exam!
I have compiled a list of relevant web links below for your use. Use these links to study relevant HR laws, practices and procedures. Go a step further and painstakingly memorize the key provisions of the laws as well; remember, it is better to over-study than under-study!
A good tip is to study as though you will be teaching someone else what you just learnt; it has helped me a great deal!
Also, if you have limited study-time, read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Page of the websites and you should be fine :)
Web Links Useful For The PHR/SPHR/SHRM Exams.
1. Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor - You can find a whole lot of information on labor laws from the DOL website. Comb the website, read the FAQs and you can be sure that all information here is current.
2. Laws Affecting Higher Education HR Management
3. NLRB FAQs.
4. Labor Laws and Issues
5. University of Richmond Human Resources - Pay Grades - The salary structure on this page will help you understand, Minimum, Midpoint and Maximum pay ranges. Good for HR professionals that have not had experience with payroll and salary structures.
6. Study.com: List of Free Online Human Resources (HR) Courses and Classes - There are a range of free HR classes to take here, pick the courses that are relevant to your needs, MIT has free HR courses as well, you can find all the details from these link.
7. About401k.com , 401khelpcenter.com , 401k.fidelity.com - For All Things on Pension and 401(k) .
8. Fact Sheet #53 – The Health Care Industry and Hours Worked - Its important to know what compensable time is; from trainings to meal breaks, you will find explanations here.
9. Quizlet From PHR Concepts - Concise explanation of Key Terms and Concepts for the PHR.
10. Fact Sheet #54 – The Health Care Industry and Calculating Overtime Pay - Remember that for purposes of calculating overtime pay, the FLSA provides that non-discretionary bonuses must be included in the regular rate of pay. This Fact Sheet from the Wage and Hour Division gives an in-depth explanation.
Please use these links, you will find them helpful!
I wish you success!
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
500 PHR/SHRM-CP Practice Questions With Answers Now Available On Amazon!
Hi guys, so I am sooooo excited that I have completed the book on 500 PHR/SHRM-CP Practice Questions With Answers.
You guys got a feel of the book with the 50 free practice questions I posted on this blog and I am grateful for the positive feedback.
The book is available on amazon for $20. Do check out the link below and get a copy!
I wish you success!
You guys got a feel of the book with the 50 free practice questions I posted on this blog and I am grateful for the positive feedback.
The book is available on amazon for $20. Do check out the link below and get a copy!
I wish you success!
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!
David Siler PHR/SPHR Audio Study Guide From Audible.
Hi guys, I have been busy putting together my book, "500 PHR/SHRM-CP Questions With Answers". I am done with that and it will be available on amazon.com in a few days! Yay!
Okay, so like I said in previous posts, so many people have recommended the David Siler PHR audio series for the PHR exams. I personally only used the Reeds/Bogardus study guide for my preparation and I passed at the first attempt. Now, I understand that people have different time constraints and process knowledge via audio sources easily so this audio study guide will help busy folks tremendously.
So, I wanted to listen to the David Siler audio book and hear what the rave was about and hopefully learn something myself! Search results showed it was available on Amazon's audible for about $26 or $28.
However, to welcome new users, audible gives an awesome gift of an audio book FREE! This means I paid NOTHING for the audio book! folks on a budget need to try this out ASAP. Please note if you already have an audible account and you have picked a different book as your free book, you will need to buy the audio book.
It is worth its price.
Now, I don't know how long Audible.com is going to be these charitable to give any of their audio books for free, so the earlier, the better.
I wish you success!
Okay, so like I said in previous posts, so many people have recommended the David Siler PHR audio series for the PHR exams. I personally only used the Reeds/Bogardus study guide for my preparation and I passed at the first attempt. Now, I understand that people have different time constraints and process knowledge via audio sources easily so this audio study guide will help busy folks tremendously.
So, I wanted to listen to the David Siler audio book and hear what the rave was about and hopefully learn something myself! Search results showed it was available on Amazon's audible for about $26 or $28.
However, to welcome new users, audible gives an awesome gift of an audio book FREE! This means I paid NOTHING for the audio book! folks on a budget need to try this out ASAP. Please note if you already have an audible account and you have picked a different book as your free book, you will need to buy the audio book.
It is worth its price.
Now, I don't know how long Audible.com is going to be these charitable to give any of their audio books for free, so the earlier, the better.
I wish you success!
I am an online PHR Tutor.
This blog is a free resource to help PHR candidates pass the exam AT ONCE. I can be contacted by mail at phrcertify@gmail.com. I wish you success!