You convince your boss to pay the exam fee.
You schedule the exam.
You spend months preparing.
You arrive at the test center early.
You spend four hours answering 160 difficult questions.
You finally answer the last question on the exam.
You nervously get through the post survey (as quickly as you can).
The preliminary results for your SHRM Certification exam appear.
“Did I pass?”
Finally, the moment of truth…
“Oh no.”
You didn’t pass.
Now what? The subject of failing the SHRM Certification Exam doesn’t seem to be discussed very often (at least openly). Which seems odd, since almost half the HR Professionals who take the exam fail!
Let’s talk about it.
First, it’s perfectly normal to feel defeated. You spent a lot of time, money and energy on this exam. Not passing a SHRM Certification exam is incredibly disappointing. These exams are tough but failing doesn’t make you any less of an HR Professional. You need to get over this letdown and conquer any doubt or fear of retaking the exam.
Hit the reset button and have a plan to avoid going through another “failed” attempt. To increase your chances of passing and finally being certified, follow the four steps below. This plan is inspired by guidance from both SHRM certification exam instructors and students who have passed the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams.
The 4-Step Reset Plan
1.Take a break!
Step away from your study materials. Allow yourself at least one day to grieve. Identify those negative thoughts circling in your mind and combat them with positive affirmations. “Does failing really mean I’m a poor performing HR professional?” No, it doesn’t! Remember that glowing review you received from your manager? Or, the Thank You note from a struggling employee? Accentuate the positive.
And remind yourself, you are not alone. A third of the HR Professionals who take the SHRM-CP exam fail. And, half fail the SHRM-SCP exam!
2.Know your options.
Yes, you can absolutely take the exam again in the next testing window. If you purchased the SHRM Learning System you have access to the online materials for up to 18 months (and the hard copy books forever).
Yes, you can take the exam as many times as you want. According to the SHRM Certification handbook, “There is no limit to the number of times a candidate can reapply and test.”
Yes, you do have to pay to retake the exam. “Candidates who wish to retest are required to apply as a new candidate, which includes remittance of the full examination fee.”
3.Understand opportunities for improvement.
Several weeks after taking an exam, you will receive what’s called a “Candidate Feedback Report” with an official score and a graph showing your performance on the exam (in relation to the SHRM BoCK):
- Behavioral Competency Clusters (Leadership, Interpersonal & Business)
- HR Knowledge Domains (People, Organization & Workplace)
If you are a part of the HR Jetpack community reach out to us, your instructor, or other students for help interpreting the report. If you are going solo (although you should read next step) refer to the SHRM BoCK for interpreting the results.
Here’s an example. If you scored lower in the Business Behavioral Competency Cluster, you will need to spend more time concentrating on the Business Acumen, Consultation and Critical Evaluation competencies. If you scored lower on the People HR Knowledge Domain, you should refocus your studying efforts on topics such as HR Strategic Planning, Talent Acquisition, etc.
If you own the SHRM Learning System, or are an HR Jetpack student, you can view your practice exams to see if the results match the report SHRM sent you.
Knowing the areas of opportunity is key to developing a new study plan. This is a stepping stone which can be used to improve your preparation plan.
4.Don’t do it alone.
Join an HR community. There are a lot of local SHRM Chapters. You will likely find others preparing for the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP – create a study group. Or join the HR Jetpack community. We have an active online study group for those focused on passing the SHRM certification exam.
Take a SHRM-approved class. If you haven’t already enrolled in a class to prepare, sign up for one. If you did take a class, find a different instructor. We have quite a few very experienced instructors at HR Jetpack. Let us help you find a good fit.
Build your own team. HR Jetpack instructor, Cheryl Brown Merriwether, recently talked about this in a panel discussion on preparing for the SHRM Certification Exam. Cheryl discussed how important it is to build a team…
Following these steps has shown to be effective in helping HR pros re-prepare for the exam and pass it! For more SHRM Certification preparations considerHR Jetpack’s SHRM Certification Prep Course.
