Does SHRM Certification Suit You: Checklist with 12 Points

Professional certification is a global trend: in an unstable world, businesses are seeking ways to manage risks, and certification is a “quality mark,” a confirmation of the specialist’s qualifications.

Isn’t it about time time for you to join the ranks of certified HR professionals? How do you assess at what stage of your career this will bring the most value and “return on investment” – financial, time, intellectual? And what prospects will it open for you?

To help answer this question, we have prepared a checklist for potential participants of the SHRM international certification program, compiled by experts from The HR PRO Association, the official partner and provider of SHRM in Ukraine.

1. Are you focused on a practical approach?

The underlying SHRM certification philosophy is practical value, not theoretical concepts. It was established by the professional HR community, The Society for Human Resource Management, which has been operating for over 70 years and currently includes 300,000 members in 165 countries. The program is based on a behavioral competency model. A specialist needs both theoretical knowledge and practical experience to answer the exam questions correctly. However, the goal is to form competencies that are necessary for productive behavior of an HR-specialist in various situations.

2. Do you need both a knowledge system and a working algorithm?

The certification helps to systematize knowledge, forms a strategic, holistic, and comprehensive vision of HR, and provides a pool of best international practices. At the same time, a certified SHRM professional receives a “roadmap,” clear action algorithms that, based on global experience and research, will lead to success in certain situations. This includes crisis scenarios, for example, when changes occur in the company’s wage system or if there is a conflict between departments (and there are hundreds of such cases out there).

Important: The program is updated annually to stay relevant to business realities and challenges faced by HR-specialists.

3. Do you want to become part of the global HR community?

The SHRM certificate is not just a “piece of paper,”.It’s an opportunity to communicate in a same language with colleagues in HR and business representatives around the world. You will join a community of over 100,000 professionals united by something greater than just a prestigious diploma. SHRM-certified specialists work within a unified conceptual field. The program is based on universal knowledge relevant to all countries and business cultures. The SHRM certificate provides a carte-blanche for career-building opportunity without borders – it is an international proof of qualification for employers and it provides opportunities for relocation. There are hundreds of successful cases where specifically certification helped HR-specialists receive international promotion within their company or find a new job abroad.

4. Do you know English at an Upper-Intermediate+ level?

This is the required and sufficient level to start training. Preparation mainly requires an understanding of English (self-study materials and teaching at the intensive seminar will be in English). Written and spoken skills are less important: the online exam involves analyzing questions and selecting answers from the available options. Moreover, there is an added bonus: the opportunity to improve your language skills while preparing for an exam.

5. Do you value flexibility?

You can join the SHRM certification program at any time. The duration of exam preparation is also up to you. Depending on your goals and resources, you can prepare intensively for 4 months or study at a more relaxed pace (you are given up to 18 months).

The emphasis is on self-education within the online system with an international knowledge and practice base. However, learning exclusively “one-on-one” with a computer is unusual and not as effective. Therefore, twice a year, the HR PRO Association, the SHRM partner in Ukraine, organizes intensive seminars to help prepare for the exam. HR-specialists can also count on the support of the colleagues who are preparing for certification or have already undergone it.

6. Do you want to make a career breakthrough and increase your value in the labor market?

There is a direct correlation between obtaining professional certification, career success, and the market value of a specialist. Hundreds of top employers worldwide are looking for HR-specialists with mandatory SHRM certification. SHRM representatives in Ukraine regularly receive similar requests from business owners and CEOs: far-sighted top managers realize that these specialists are invaluable (by the way, there are about 100 students in Ukraine, and fewer than 50 certified specialists).

After passing the exam successfully, a specialist becomes a member of the global community, joining the ranks of certified colleagues, and their international profiles are carefully tracked by recruiters in open sources.

7. Do you have a high level of motivation and awareness?

Certification provides support from the community and the opportunity to attend an intensive seminar during preparation, but since the main focus is on self-educating, students need to understand their personal goals and be ready to learn autonomously. The exam is difficult: on average, only 60-65% of students worldwide pass it on their first attempt. Many need additional time for preparation and new attempts.

8. Do you value support from the Ukrainian HR-community?

This is important at the stage of choosing a program. If you have trouble making a decision, colleagues who have gone through this path openly share their experience. You can easily contact them via social media or through the official provider which is The HR PRO Association.

During exam preparation, participants receive support from colleagues during intensive seminars, which are conducted by successful practitioners certified by SHRM, as well as at other HR PRO events and through personal meetings.

9. Do you have experience in HR and want to systematize it?

This is precisely when certification will provide the most value. The recommended “threshold” is from 3 to 5 years in the HR profession, depending on the intensity of the work, the specifics of the HR and business environment. For example, if a specialist has developed in an international company with an established HR-system and processes, they have likely gained more knowledge, skills, and insights and are ready to confirm their experience.

There are two levels of certification: SHRM-CP (HR-specialist performing administrative and operational functions) and SHRM-SCP (experienced HR-specialist who also performs strategic functions).

Since the HR education institution in Ukraine is still developing, there is a huge pool of excellent specialists with unique experience in the market. They have learned through project implementation, on their own and from their colleagues, have accumulated knowledge piece by piece, and gradually formed their skillset – this is a solid professional foundation. However, even such specialists need to consolidate and systematize their experience and findings. Confirming their effectiveness and understanding what can be improved, the ability to operate with universal categories and approaches gives practitioners confidence in themselves.

10. Is it important for you to confirm your professionalism?

Apart from the psychological effect, i.e. increasing professional self-esteem – SHRM certification provides a tangible confirmation of your professionalism. The certificate, recognized in 165 countries, means you belong to the 60-65% of students who have gone through the challenging learning process and successfully passed the difficult exam to be a certified HR-specialist. It also means you have the competencies to optimally solve business problems.

11. Are you looking for a “mature” certification with confirmed quality?

The SHRM professional certification has received the highest rating from the American National Standards Institute – this respected institution conducted a months-long in-depth study of all topics, questions, and other aspects of the program and concluded that it meets the highest standards.

12. Do you want to get an international certification within Ukraine?

Since the certification program is global, you can join it anywhere. However, interacting with SHRM through the official provider in Ukraine – the HR PRO Association – offers advantages.

The price remains unchanged – $2,485 (this includes a set of training materials in both printed and electronic formats; access to the online training system for 18 months; an intensive 3-day offline seminar).

At the same time, it is easier to navigate the program because the HR PRO Association provides consulting and organizational support, as well as access to a community of students and certified professionals.

There is also another important nuance: due to the situation with the annexed Crimea and temporarily occupied territories, SHRM’s legal department requires students from Ukraine to be checked twice, before “entry” and before taking the exam; and it is the HR PRO Association, as a partner, that has the right to conduct these checks.

The exam is held in Kyiv – at the office of a specialized provider (the exam fee – $400).

If you answered affirmatively to the checklist questions, it’s probably about time to think of the next stage of your development and obtain professional HR certification.

Details about the certification can be found on the website: shrm.com.ua

Do you have any questions? We would be happy to answer them: office@hrpro.ua or by phone +38 (067) 487-75-95.