Cindy Faria ⋅ Pensacola, FL University of West Florida ⋅ 25 years experience

The advice you have been given is perfect. Certification will set you apart from applicants who do not have certification. If you have a love for a specific area of HR look into certifications in those areas. Worldatwork has several certifications in compensation management, benefits, work-life, etc. Do a web search and load yourself up with as many pertinent certifications as you can. Certifications usually require recertification every few years with on-the-job experiences or professional development. Certifications demonstrate your achievements, your knowledge in your field, and dedication to your vocation. Look at shrm.org, worldatwork.org, and the Certified Payroll Professional or Certified Employee Benefits Specialist. I'm sure there are more that I am not aware of in spite of more than 20 years of HR experience. HR is a good career. Make sure you are not enrolling in a one or two day course called "Certification." The certifications you need may take you a year or more to complete and may require your passing several tests. Good luck!

Robyn Warr ⋅ New York, NY Signature Bank ⋅ 15 years experience

SHRM is the organization you want to become a member of. Previously, SHRM offered the PHR or SPHR certifications, in conjunction with the HRCI. As of 2014, SHRM has broken from HRCI and started their own certifications - the SHRM - CP and SHRM - SCP (Certified Professional and Sr Cert Prof). THe PHR has been the standard in the industry for years and test knowledge. The new SHRM certifications test knowledge AND practice. It's about acumen and how the knowledge is applied. It's hard to say whether one will become the preferred over the other, since SHRM is the main HR organization. But it would be worth looking into both the PHR through HRCI and the SHRM - CP through SHRM.

Charlayne Coburn ⋅ Reno, NV Bonanza Casino ⋅ 30 years experience

I, too, suggest SHRM's certification program. I see many advertisements for openings in H.R. that ask for a PHR or SPHR. I think that the program also helps prepare you for "real world" HR issues, as opposed to theory. Good luck!

Sara Idle ⋅ Wayzata, MN Cargill ⋅ 10 years experience

Good morning,
I would recommend looking at certifications through Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM). They have a certification called SPHR which is one I see a lot in the industry. There are additional certifications around coaching, change management, etc. that can also be good to have in your background depending on the type of HR role you are seeking.

Sara Idle
Cargill
Human Resources Lead