How to Become SHRM Certified

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 4, 2020 References

The Society for Human Resource Management, or SHRM, is an international organization made up of over 285,000 human resource employees.^{[1]
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Research source} In addition to general membership, SHRM provides a certification program through which HR professionals can verify their expertise. Though the requirements necessary to become SHRM certified are extensive, the process itself is easy to follow and open to anyone willing to put in the time and effort.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Earning a New Certification

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Select which certification you need. The Society for Human Resource Management offers 2 types of certification: SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP. Though the SCP is a higher-level certification, you should base your choice largely on which area of human resources you specialize in.^{[2]
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- The SHRM-CP is best for people in operational positions who focus on tasks like policy implementation and day-to-day management.
- The SHRM-SCP is best for people who hold a senior position focused on strategic tasks like policy creation and data analysis.
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Make sure you meet the testing requirements. To apply for either SHRM certification exam, you must complete 1000 hours of human resource work in the calendar year immediately preceding your test. This work can be full-time, part-time, or gained via a mixed role. In addition, applicants need to meet the following experience criteria:^{[3]
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- If you have less than a bachelor's degree, you'll need 3 to 4 years of experience in a HR role to take the CP exam. The SCP exam requires 6 to 7 years.
- With a bachelor's degree, you'll need 1 to 2 years of experience in a HR role to take the CP exam. The SCP exam requires 4 to 5 years.
- If you have a graduate degree, you'll need 1 year of experience or a current HR position to take the CP exam. The SCP exam requires 3 to 4 years.
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Apply for the exam at https://portal.shrm.org. If you meet SHRM's application criteria, visit portal.shrm.org and create a user account. Select the certification you wish to test for, then fill out the official exam application. To submit your application, you'll need to pay a fee of $300 if you're a SHRM member or $400 if you're not a member.^{[4]
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Schedule your exam date after receiving an authorization letter. Within 10 business days, you will receive a letter authorizing you to take the exam. Once you receive the letter, you can schedule a test date by visiting https://www.prometric.com and locating SHRM in the website's directory. From there, follow the on-screen instructions to schedule your exam.^{[5]
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- If you do not receive a letter or if your application is declined, e-mail shrmcertification@shrm.org or call 800-283-7476 for support.
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Purchase exam preparation materials (optional). SHRM offers a number of testing materials through their official website, including learning modules related to HR competencies that will increase your chances of passing the exam. In addition to these personal materials, the SHRM website also lists any upcoming training seminars and classes.^{[6]
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- The complete training module package costs $700 for members and $920 for non-members.
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Take the exam. Though the questions are different, the CP and SCP exams follow the same general format. You will have exactly 4 hours to complete 160 individual questions. These are divided into 2 categories: stand-alone knowledge questions and situational judgement questions. Expect approximately 95 knowledge items and 65 judgement items.^{[7]
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- Knowledge questions test you on key topics related to the 15 HR functional areas and the 8 HR behavioral competencies.
- Judgement questions test your ability to make decisions in the workplace.
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Retake the test or request a re-score if you failed. If you did not pass the exam, you have 2 potential courses of action. If you feel your test was judged incorrectly, you can have it re-scored for $50. Otherwise, you'll need to pay a second exam fee and retake the test. You can sit for the exam as many times as you need to.^{[8]
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Download your SHRM certificate once you pass. Though you'll receive a provisional score upon completing your exam, your actual, verified score will arrive 3 to 4 weeks later. If you passed, visit the My Resources tab of your SHRM user profile and download your official certificate.^{[9]
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- Along with the digital copy, applicants will receive a hard-copy certificate 2 to 3 months after taking the test.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Renewing Your Existing Certification

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Plan to recertify your SHRM credentials every 3 years. To ensure all certified individuals meet SHRM's current professional standards, the organization requires you to renew your certification every 3 years. Each certification period lasts from the date you took the exam to the end of your birth month 3 years later, so make sure to recertify during that time.^{[10]
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Earn 60 professional credits in 3 years to easily recertify. The easiest way to renew your certification is through professional credits. You can earn these by attending SHRM-authorized professional development events including leadership programs and educational courses.^{[11]
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- You can earn professional credits throughout the entire 3-year certification period.
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Submit your professional credits through the certification portal. Once you've earned 60 professional credits, visit https://portal.shrm.org and click the Add PDCs option. From here, you can add the events you attended manually or via their official Activity ID number. Once you've added all 60 hours, click the button labeled “Apply for Recertification.”
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Retake the exam if you cannot get enough credits. In lieu of earning professional credits, you can renew your certification by retaking the SHRM exam. If you plan on doing so, contact certification@shrm.org for help.^{[12]
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Community Q&A

Question

Is there a particular area to sit during a certification exam?

Community Answer

Yes. Testing centers will assign you a private, partitioned desk in which to take the exam. Multiple individuals may be taking the exam simultaneously in the same room.
Question

I have a JD degree but have practiced neither law nor HR. What do I need to do to get SHRM certified?

Community Answer

With a JD degree, you will need one year human resources experience at minimum to qualify for testing to be SHRM certified.
Question

If I fail the SHRM test, how much does it cost to retake it?

Community Answer

You would just have to re-apply and pay the fees over to exam again in the next testing window. For SHRM members it costs $300 - $375; for non-members it's $400 - $475.