Your Guide to Becoming SHRM Certified
The SHRM Certified Professional and SHRM Senior Certified Professional certifications serve as globally recognized symbols of HR expertise, signaling to the business community that the credential-holder possesses the deep knowledge, practical skills, and strategic leadership acumen required to excel in the dynamic field of human resources. By carefully evaluating your current HR responsibilities and future career aspirations, you can make an informed decision about which SHRM certification aligns best with your professional goals.
Choosing the Right Credential
The SHRM-CP certification is designed for HR professionals who primarily focus on operational tasks, such as:
- implementing HR policies
- providing HR support to employees and stakeholders
- managing day-to-day HR functions
The SHRM-SCP certification is geared towards senior-level HR professionals who play a strategic role in:
- shaping the organization's HR strategy
- developing HR policies and initiatives
- overseeing the execution of integrated HR operations
- analyzing HR performance data
- aligning HR strategies with overall organizational goals
SHRM Certification Requirements
SHRM-CP Eligibility Requirements
The SHRM-CP certification is designed for individuals who engage in general HR/HR-related duties, including currently enrolled students and those pursuing a career in Human Resource Management. While an HR title, degree, or prior HR experience is not mandatory for application, a basic grasp of HR practices and principles or a degree from an Academically Aligned program is highly recommended. The SHRM-CP exam assesses competency at the operational level of HR.
SHRM-SCP Eligibility Requirements
The SHRM-SCP certification is for individuals with at least three years of strategic-level HR experience or SHRM-CP holders working in or transitioning to a strategic-level role. No HR title or degree is required for the SHRM-SCP exam, which assesses competency in strategic HR work.
To qualify for the SHRM-SCP, applicants must demonstrate 1,000 hours of strategic-level HR work per calendar year. Part-time work, hourly or salaried experience, and HR consulting work all count toward this requirement.
Do you meet these requirements?
To find out, take the eligibility quiz
Start the SHRM exam process in 5 easy steps:
- Decide on a SHRM Certification
- Apply and schedule your exam
- Prepare for your exam
- Take the exam
- Earn your certification
What You'll Learn
The SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certifications serve as internationally recognized symbols of HR expertise, demonstrating to the global business community that the credential-holder possesses the deep knowledge, practical skills, and strategic leadership acumen required to excel in the dynamic and multifaceted field of human resources.
Aligned with the SHRM Body of Applied Skills & Knowledge™ (SHRM BASK™), the certifications equip you with practical skills for real-world HR scenarios.
COMPETENCIES
- Leadership & Navigation
- Ethical Practice
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Relationship Management
- Communication
- Global Mindset
- Business Acumen
- Consultation
- Analytical Aptitude
PEOPLE
- HR Strategy
- Talent Acquisition
- Employee Engagement & Retention
- Learning & Development
- Total Rewards
ORGANIZATION
- Structure of the HR Function
- Organizational Effectiveness & Development
- Workforce Management
- Employee & Labor Relations
- Technology Management
WORKPLACE
- Managing a Global Workforce
- Risk Management
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- U.S. Employment Law & Regulations
Testing Windows
Exams are offered during two windows each year. When applying for the exam, you must apply during the application period that coincides with your testing window. Applications must be received by the standard deadline for each window.
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Exam Essentials
Once you complete the SHRM certification application process, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter with instructions on how to schedule your exam.
The exams contain two types of multiple-choice questions: stand-alone knowledge-based items that assess a candidate’s knowledge and understanding of factual information and scenario-based situational judgment items that assess a candidate's judgment and decision-making skills broken down as follows:
Exam Structure
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50% HR-Specific KnowledgeKey concept topics associated with the 15 HR functional areas -
40% Situational JudgementChoose the best strategy to address issues in a given work-related scenario
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10% LeadershipKey foundational topics related to the 8 behavioral competencies
Exam Format & Length
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4 hoursIncluding 3 hours and 40 minutes of testing time -
134 questions80 knowledge items & 54 situational-judgment items, of which 24 are field-test items -
Computer-based testing experience -
SHRM exams are available in Arabic starting in 2023
SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP
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3 hours and 40 minutes divided into two 110-minute sections
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Computer-based experience
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Testing windowsMay-July & Dec-Feb
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134 MCQs80 knowledge items/54 situational judgment items
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Available in English & Arabic