PHR vs SHRM: What’s The Difference?

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Key Takeaways:

What Is the PHR?

PHR stands for Professional in Human Resources and is a type of certification for those who work in human resources. It’s one of several possible certifications in this field, though it has requirements to be able to even take the exam.

The PHR is focused on the hard skills involved in human resources. According to Human Resources Standards Institute (HRCI), what it covers is broken down into:

• 39% Employee and labor relations

• 20% Business management

• 16% Talent planning and acquisition

• 15% Total rewards

• 10% Learning and development

There are requirements you must meet or exceed in order to be able to qualify to take the exam. It balances education and experience in a professional-level HR position, giving you three possible metrics to meet:

• One year of experience and a master’s degree (or higher)

• Two years of experience and a bachelor’s degree

• Four years of experience

If you’re looking into taking the PHR in order to further your career in HR management, here are some things to consider.

• Cost. The test itself is an investment. There is a $100 application fee to even take the exam. If you qualify, then you’ll need to pay an additional $395 in order to actually take the exam. If your application is accepted, you can’t get a refund if you choose not to take the exam, either.

• Study time. Of course, most of what’s tested on the exam will be what you’ve learned as an HR professional, and it’s still a good idea to study and take practice tests. You’re going to want to make sure that you score well on the test, after all. Most modern tests are also structured with testees spending time doing practice questions in mind.

• How well you test. While some people are naturally good at taking tests, others struggle with the format. Having a PHR certification can help your career quite a bit, but you’ll also want to consider the cost and time sink if there’s a good chance you may not pass the exam.

• Test format. The exam consists of 90 scored questions and 25 unscored pretest questions. You’ll be given two hours to complete the exam. Or roughly a minute and 20 seconds per question. It’s a computer-based exam, meaning that you’ll be doing it on a computer screen rather than on paper.

• Proctoring. You’ll need to take the test in either a Pearson VUE testing center or use an online proctoring service. Online proctoring allows a proctor to access the view of your computer screen so that they know you aren’t looking up the answers while taking the test.

• You need to recertify. A PHR certification lasts for three years. That doesn’t mean that you need to retake the exam every few years, but you do need to show that you’re still focusing on your field and continuing to better yourself. Therefore, you can get a recertification if you take 60 credit hours of approved courses.

• It’s more hard skills based. The PHR exam is largely based on hard skills. It tests how well you understand HR: the best practices, laws, regulations, and business management involved in the field.

What Is SHRM?

SHRM stands for Society for Human Resource Management. SHRM is an organization that specializes in HR certifications. As this is also a professional organization, it can potentially open you up to other opportunities both through others with the certification and those in the organization.

There are two different certifications offered by SHRM:

• SHRM-CP. This stands for SHRM Certified Professional. There aren’t any experience or education requirements in order to qualify to take the exam. However, it’ll be extremely difficult to pass without either experience or a degree.

• SHRM-SCP. To become an SHRM Certified Senior Professional, at least three years of experience are required. You will need to have worked in a professional HR position for at least 1,000 hours per calendar year for a total of three years. Note that:

  • Experience may be hourly or salaried.

  • Part-time work is acceptable so long as the 1,000 hours per calendar year requirement is met.

  • More than 1,000 hours in a calendar year doesn’t count as more than a single year of experience.

The SHRM-CP exam is broken down into the following categories according to their website.

• 18% Organization

• 18% People

• 17% Leadership

• 16.5% Business

• 16.5% Interpersonal

• 14% Workplace

If you’re considering taking the SHRM certification, here are some things to consider:

• Cost. The cost of the SHRM-CP is more variable than that of the PHR. If you’re a member of SHRM, the fee is $100 less. The standard fee is $510, but you can get discounts if you’re a member, a student, a member of the military, or if you apply early.

• Exam format. The exam consists of 134 questions, and you have 3 hours and 40 minutes of testing time. Or roughly a minute and 40 seconds per question. Like the PHR, this is also a computer-based exam.

• Study time. As with all exams, you will want to prepare before taking them. SHRM itself offers sample questions and test prep.

• How well you test. Not everyone takes tests well. And as this is a longer exam than the PHR, that should be part of your consideration.

• Proctoring. As with the majority of exams, you can either take it at an authorized testing center or you can use live remote proctoring.

• You need to recertify. Your certification will expire after a three-year period. SHRM offers two different ways to renew your certification. You can either take and pass the exam again or take 60 approved credit hours within the three-year period.

• It’s more soft skills based. The SHRM tests are generally more based on soft skills than hard skills. They’ll include situational-judgment questions, as well as ways to test interpersonal skills.

PHR vs. SHRM FAQ

1. Are SHRM and HRCI affiliated?

   While SHRM did create HRCI about 40 years ago, the two organizations are separate. They offer different certifications, with HCRI offering the PHR, SPHR, GPHR, HRBP, and HRMP, while SHRM offers the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP.

2. Does an SHRM or PHR certification need to be renewed?

   Yes, both certifications will expire after a three-year period. Certifications can be renewed either by retaking the exam or by doing 60 credit hours of applicable coursework.

References

1. Society of Human Resources Management – Why SHRM Certification?

2. Human Resources Standards Institute – Professional in Human Resources

Author

Di Doherty

Di has been a writer for more than half her life. Most of her writing so far has been fiction, and she’s gotten short stories published in online magazines Kzine and Silver Blade, as well as a flash fiction piece in the Bookends review. Di graduated from Mary Baldwin College (now University) with a degree in Psychology and Sociology.