How can you become HR certified and progress in your career

Amelia Jackson
4 min readAug 9, 2024

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Whether you have years of experience or are just starting out in HR, organizing your HR career path is important in helping you to reach both personally and professionally. Planning your HR job path by enrolling in professional certification can help you to determine the direction in which you wish to grow in the future. The demand for certified professionals is expected to grow by 6% between 2022–2032 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Moreover, certified professionals get better employment opportunities and good compensation. Here, we have covered popular HR certification and how you can get certified.

Benefits of Obtaining HR Certification

Obtaining HR certification offers numerous advantages. It shows your professionalism and dedication to the field, this validation might help you land in your dream job.

1) Enhancing your skills and knowledge

HR certification programs are meant to enable you to understand HR regulations, laws, and principles. These topics range widely from legal compliance to employee relations to talent management. Acquiring this advanced expertise will help you manage challenging HR problems and support the growth of your company.

2) Building professional credibility

Getting certified by a reputed institute can improve your credibility. It indicates to clients, colleagues, and companies that you have undergone complex evaluation and are dedicated to maintaining high degrees of competency. If you want to advance into HR’s specialist areas or leadership roles, this credibility can especially help.

Many institutes offer HR certification programs. Getting certified through a reputed institute like Best HR certification can increase your professional credibility. Let’s explore some of the most popular certifications.

Types of HR Certifications

There are several types of HR certifications to choose from, and each one fits a certain professional level and area of expertise.

Entry-level certifications can offer a strong foundation for people just starting their career in the HR discipline. Excellent beginning points include programs like the aPHR (Associate Professional in Human Resources). These credentials are perfect for early-careers or those moving into HR from other disciplines since they focus on basic HR ideas and practices. Mid-level certificates help HR professionals to update their skills. It addresses more complicated areas, including corporate management.

Enrolling for a professional certification from a reputed institute like TMI can add great value to your profile. TMI institute offers TMP™, STMP™, GTML™ certification. They also offer the Associate Fellow Program in Talent Management and a Global Fellow Program in Talent Management.

1) Professional in Human Resources (PHR)

The PHR certification is highly suitable for HR professionals with some experience and who wish to improve their knowledge of HR processes. It is designed for those managing HR program execution, it emphasizes operational aspects.

2) Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)

HR professionals who are engaged in planning, designing, and monitoring HR projects can consider obtaining Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). This certification emphasizes strategic elements and policy-making while calling for a lot of HR expertise.

3) Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)

HR managers engaged in policy and strategy execution would be a better fit for the SHRM-CP certification. It fits various HR roles since it emphasizes operational as well as strategic aspects.

4) Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)

It is designed for top HR managers, those who are involved in developing and supervising HR policies. It underlines strategic thinking and matching HR projects with corporate objectives.

5) Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)

The CCP certification is for HR professionals focused on compensation management. It addresses subjects including pay structure design, incentive systems, and compensation management.

5 Steps to Get Certified

Step 1 — Research and Choose the Right Certification

Researching and selecting the appropriate program for your professional objectives comes first when getting certified. Consider things like the level of experience, areas of interest, and the reputation of the certification provider.

Step 2 — Meet Eligibility Requirements

Once you have decided on the certification program, check if your eligibility meets the program requirements. Depending on the program, these eligibility requirements can vary and could call for particular levels of professional experience or educational background.

Step 3 — Prepare for the Exam

Passing the certification mostly depends on preparation. To make sure you are ready for the exam, make use of study materials, online courses, and practice tests. Certain certifying institutions also provide valuable prep courses which could benefit a lot.

Step 4 — Schedule and Take the Exam

Once your preparation is done, schedule your exam for a convenient location and time. Arrive early, bring the required identification, and keep cool and focused during the test.

Step 5 — Maintain Your Certification

Most HR certifications require continuous learning to maintain your credibility. This can cover participating in industry meetings, completing online courses, and attending seminars. Staying updated with the current knowledge guarantees that your certification stays valid.

Conclusion

If you are HR certified, it can be a major turning point in your employment. It gives you access to fresh prospects and prepares you with knowledge and skills to excel on the field. Enrolling for HR certifications is a wise investment in your professional development regardless of your level of career advancement.

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Amelia Jackson

Human Resource Professional. Passionate about Human Resources. Writing has always been a passion with strong interest in talent management & HR Industry.