PHR, SPHR, and GPHR Exam Test Strategy

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It’s been a while since my last post regarding the PHR exam, but the questions and comments are still coming in like clockwork. While my post on who should take the PHR or SPHR exam was somewhat humorous, I hope it was helpful, too. This article will deal with the test, scoring, and how you should prepare for the exam. As I delve into the human resources field more and more, I have come to realize that I have a good bit of information to offer those that are starting out in the field and those looking to take the PHR, SPHR, or GPHR exam. And, because I love to help others, I’m displaying it here freely.

My Official Scores

Much to the chagrin of some of my readers, after I completed the PHR exam, I didn’t give a very good account of the results. My official score was a 617. That translates to an 88%, for those of you that like some hard numbers (although percentages are irrelevant, based on what you’ll read in the next section.)

Raw Score Versus Scaled Score

The scoring for the exam may be tough to understand, so here are the basics of how it works. The raw score is the number of questions answered correctly on the exam. The minimum number of questions needed to pass is different with each exam, because each question has a different point value. Those point values make up the scaled score, and they are based on the relative difficulty of the question. The range of the scaled score is between 100 and 700, and 500 is the minimum passing scaled score. No two exams are exactly the same.

Differentiation

I’ll repeat myself. No two exams are exactly the same. They are developed from a large test bank, and each will have a different number of questions from each difficulty level. If you email me to ask what to study, I’m going to tell you to focus on strategic management, workforce planning and employment, human resources development, total rewards, employee and labor relations, and risk management. Just because my exam had ten employment law questions doesn’t mean that yours will, too.

Test Strategy

The third time is the charm when it comes to test strategy. A proper study plan should include a pretest, a posttest, and the final exam. My belief in this is chronicled frequently throughout my twelve week PHR study series, and it is what I always recommend for those that are looking for advice. Develop a test strategy that works.

Conclusion

Whether you’re taking the PHR, SPHR, or GPHR, you should have a plan. Develop a strategy. Know what is going to happen today, this week, and this month to help you prepare for the certification exam. And keep reading (click here for free email updates), because I’m going to keep it coming.