Ace those challenging PHR and SPHR exams! In the competitive field of Human Resources, measurable demonstrations of credibility and commitment will get you ahead—and there's no better way to show your dedication than by adding the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) qualifications to your resume. Fail rates are high, but the right combination of knowledge and practice (and a little grit) will see you a pass with flying colors—which is where PHR/SPHR Exam For Dummies comes in! In a friendly, step-by-step style, Sandra M. Reed, owner of the HR consulting firm epocHResources, takes the intimidation out of these challenging tests by letting you in on what to expect—as well as teaching you proven techniques for success. Work through the book's thorough content and subject review, sample questions, and suggested strategies, and then go online to find additional practice tests and more than 500 flashcards. With these resources, you can approach your exam with confidence. Take sample tests in the book and online Follow detailed answers and explanations Know how the exam is scored Study with more than 500 flashcards online Whether you're a student or an experienced professional, PHR/SPHR Exam For Dummies will give you the power to pass—and pass well—and go on to achieve the successful HR career of your dreams!

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 2 Beyond This Book 3 Where to Go from Here 3 Part 1: Getting Started with the PHR/SPHR Exam 5 Chapter 1: Introducing the PHR/SPHR Exam: Just the Basics, Please 7 Summarizing the Certification Process 8 PHR or SPHR: Which Exam is Right for You 8 Exam eligibility 8 Comparing the two exams 9 Making your decision: Certification is a journey, not an event 10 Still undecided? 11 Applying for Your Exam 11 Completing your application online 11 Scheduling the exam online 12 Knowing What to Expect on the Exams 12 Looking at the exams’ structure and types of questions 13 Grasping how the exams are scored 13 Preparing to Tackle the Exam 14 Tackling the 24 Hours before, during, and after the Exam 14 Examining the Core Subject Areas on the Exam 15 PHR 15 SPHR 16 Remembering the Core Knowledge Requirements 17 Understanding That You Can’t Be Taught the Exam 18 Chapter 2: Preparing for the Exam 21 Considering Exam Weights by Functional Area 21 Practicing for Results 23 Reaping the benefits from practice exams 24 Making the right selection 25 Building a Study Plan Strategy 25 Being organized keeps you focused 25 Writing a study plan: The how-to 26 Employing the Principles: Going Deeper 27 HRCI’s suggested authors 27 Online business sites 28 Techniques 29 Considering a Study Group: Yes or No? 30 Noting the benefits of a study group 31 Identifying the challenges of a study group 32 Selecting the right group or exam prep class 32 Keeping your group on task 32 Asking Your Employer to Pay for Certification 33 Using the Internet for Additional Resources 34 Functional Area 01 34 Functional Area 02 35 Functional Area 03 36 Functional Area 04 37 Functional Area 05 39 Applying Core Knowledge 40 Sharing the value of diversity and inclusiveness 41 Applying human relations 43 Using theories of motivation 43 Managing enterprise risk 44 Complying with safety standards in the workplace 45 Navigating labor union implications 50 Chapter 3: Identifying the Question Types and Strategizing to Answer Them 55 Having a Plan to Answer the Questions 55 Interpreting the Content While Conquering the Form 56 Understanding how the questions are formed 56 Spotting the target: The correct answer 58 Navigating the answer distractors 59 Recognizing Special Circumstances 60 Maneuvering through the “best” pitfall 60 Working with extremes — always, never, most, least 61 Dealing with the unknown 62 Chapter 4: Surviving Test Day 65 Leading Up: The Days before the Test 65 Cramming: Yes or no? 66 Eyeing the lay of the land: The testing facilities 66 Familiarizing yourself with the testing environment 67 The Time is Here: Exam Day 67 Remembering the ABCs of Exam Day 68 Attitude: Believe that you can succeed 68 Breathing: It matters more than you may think 69 Confidence: Expect success 69 After the Test: What to Expect 70 Completing the survey 70 Getting your results 71 Part 2: Managing the Basics: Pre-Test Fundamentals 73 Chapter 5: Career Day: Life of a Certified HR Professional 75 Tracking Trends in Human Resources 76 Understanding educational trends 76 Clarifying the role of HR 77 Using the Statistics 78 Identifying who is certified and why this information is important 78 Leveraging the impact of certification on salary 79 Applying Your Knowledge on the Job 80 Focusing on staying relevant: Continuing your education 80 Demonstrating knowledge: Positively impacting your employer 81 Constructively criticizing: What to do when you disagree 82 Chapter 6: Examining HRCI’s Glossary of Terms 85 Deciding How to Study 85 The Terms 86 Part 3: The Ins and Outs of the PHR Exam 117 Chapter 7: The Key to Success: PHR 01 Business Management 119 Eyeing the Exam Objectives 119 Responsibilities 119 Knowledge 120 Focusing on What You Need to Know about Business Management 120 The playing field 121 Working with other business functions 122 Establishing internal and external relationships 124 HRCI’s Code of Ethical and Professional Responsibility 125 Risk Management 127 Applying U.S labor law 128 Tackling executive orders 129 Managing Data 130 Chapter 8: Finding Resources: PHR 02 Talent Planning and Acquisition 133 Noting What’s Important about Talent Planning and Acquisition 133 Responsibilities 134 Knowledge 134 Recognizing What Subjects to Study 134 Looking at the Life Cycle of the Employee 135 Creating a Recruiting Process 136 Selecting the Right Employees 137 Using pre-employment tests 138 Conducting interviews 139 Employment offers 140 The use of background checks 140 Comparing Orientation to Onboarding 141 Recognizing Common Reports and Tools 141 EEO-1 reporting 141 Form I-9 142 Recruiting analysis 142 Chapter 9: Sharpening Your Tools: PHR 03 Learning and Development 143 Identifying What’s Essential About Learning and Development 143 Responsibilities 143 Knowledge 144 Examining What You Need to Know for the Exam Regarding Learning and Development 144 The design of training 145 Developing employees 147 Making the most of data management 149 Chapter 10: Paying Your Dues: PHR 04 Total Rewards 155 Identifying the Exam Objectives for Total Rewards 155 Responsibilities 155 Knowledge 156 Tackling the Key Points about Total Rewards 156 Structuring pay systems 156 Processing payroll 159 Selecting and Communicating Employee Benefits 159 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) 160 Employee Retirement Income and Security Act (ERISA) 160 The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) 161 Social Security & Medicare 161 Workers’ compensation 162 Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 162 Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act 162 Taking Advantage of Common Reports and Tools 163 Hidden paychecks 163 Benefits surveys 163 Exempt checklists 164 Chapter 11: Connecting the Dots: PHR 05 Employee and Labor Relations 165 Navigating Employee & Labor Relations 165 Responsibilities 166 Knowledge 166 Focusing on What the Exam Covers in ELR 167 Defining company culture and climate 167 Early engagement techniques 169 Building engagement through performance management 169 Applying discipline and conducting separations 171 Using Policies and Procedures to Communicate 172 Employee handbooks and policy reviews 172 Common reports and tools 173 Part 4: Digging into the SPHR Exam 175 Chapter 12: Building the Frame: SPHR 01 Leadership and Strategy 177 Leadership & Strategy Exam Objectives 177 Responsibilities 178 Knowledge 178 Directing Leadership and Strategy Initiatives 179 The Essence of Strategy 179 Becoming a strategic partner 180 Interpreting strategic planning objectives 181 Understanding the stages of planning 181 Managing Risk 184 Designing Interventions 185 Managing Change Strategies 185 The three-stage model 185 The eight-stage model 186 The five-stage model 186 Delivering through Technology 187 Following trends in HR information systems 187 Managing the impact of data analytics 187 Avoiding the pitfalls of social media 188 Building a virtual workplace 189 Selecting and implementing project management software 189 Analyzing with metrics 190 Forecasting 191 Using scorecards 192 Chapter 13: Bridging the Gap: SPHR 02 Talent Planning and Acquisition 193 Preparing for Talent Planning and Acquisition 193 Responsibilities 194 Knowledge 194 Digging Deeper into the Exam Objectives 194 Workforce Planning 195 Analyzing the labor market population 195 Conducting wage surveys 196 Succession and replacement plans 196 Overseeing the Staffing Function 197 Employer branding 197 Recruiting and selection 197 Selection 198 Integrating New Talent 199 Engaging Employees 200 Termination in the Context of Talent Planning 201 Corporate restructures 201 Mergers and acquisitions 202 Divestitures 202 Chapter 14: Shaping the Resources: SPHR 03 Learning and Development 205 Examining What You Need to Know for the Exam 205 Responsibilities 206 Knowledge of 206 Analyzing Business Needs 206 Activating Training Systems 207 Instructional design 207 Using Learning and Development for Retention 209 Assessing talent 209 Creating career paths 210 Allocating resources 211 Chapter 15: Harnessing the Value: SPHR 04 Total Rewards 213 Total Rewards Exam Objectives 213 Responsibilities 214 Knowledge 214 Breaking Down the Content 214 Categorizing Total Rewards 214 Building compensation strategies 215 Creating the Framework 217 Job analysis 217 Job evaluation and pricing 218 Benchmarking 218 Legal issues 218 Shaping executive compensation 220 Building benefits systems 221 Chapter 16: Building Relationships: SPHR 05 Employee Relations and Engagement 225 Charting Exam Content 225 Responsibilities 226 Knowledge 226 Making the Case for Engagement 227 Job attitudes 229 Performance feedback and recognition 230 The importance of trust at work 232 Separations as an experience point 233 Human resource leadership development 233 Part 5: Employing Your Knowledge: Practice Exams 235 Chapter 17: Facing the Challenge: PHR Practice Exam 237 Answer Sheet for PHR Practice Exam 239 Chapter 18: Answers and Explanations to PHR Practice Exam 267 Answer Key for Practice Exam I 287 Chapter 19: Using Your Skill Set: SPHR Practice Exam 289 Answer Sheet for SPHR Practice Exam 291 Chapter 20: Answers and Explanations to SPHR Practice Exam 319 Answer Key for Practice Exam I 341 Part 6: The Part of Tens 343 Chapter 21: Ten PHR/SPHR Exam Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them 345 Sitting for the Wrong Exam 345 Underestimating Exam Preparation Time 346 Unlearning State-Specific Applications 347 Getting Tripped Up: The Perils of Overthinking 348 Playing the Guessing Game 348 Trusting Your Instinct 348 Changing Answers 349 Focusing Too Much on the Clock 349 Managing Distractions 350 Avoiding Mind Tricks 351 Chapter 22: Ten (or So) Study Tips for the Exam Bodies of Knowledge 353 Being Organized and Planning 354 Using Outlines 355 Going Online 356 Interviewing Subject-Matter Experts 356 Presenting Unfamiliar Exam Objectives 357 Comparing HR Best Practices to Your Work Experience 357 Discerning Action Objectives from Knowledge Objectives 357 Spacing Practice for Success 358 Knowing Where to Focus When Studying Labor Laws 358 Appendix: Federal Employment Law 361 Index 369