At one point in your career, you might feel stalled. What do you do then?
A straight forward answer is – learn new skills and take a managerial or leadership role.
A career in human resources isn’t different. Given that human resource is changing every day due to the influence of technology, employee behavior, and business demands, human resource professionals need to learn new skills continuously not to just progress, but to keep themselves employable. Taking an HR certification is a good idea to achieve this.
Industry –recognized valuable HR certifications help to develop new skills, build a new perspective for the profession, and advance in career. Additionally, earning a few globally recognized certifications result in intangible benefits like an increase in salary and promotions. A 2018 Pay Scale report says that certified HR professionals earn an average 31.6% more salary than non-certified HR professionals. Plus, earning an HR certification increases the chances of promotion by 15%.
So which certification is best for you?
Finding the right HR certification
The HR industry is flooded with numerous certifications. Picking the right certification is just as important as choosing the HR function you work in. Broadly, there are two certifications for HR:
1. Specialist certification – These are certifications that equip you with niche skills and make you an expert in niche HR functions such as payroll management, compensation & benefits, learning & development, etc. Online HR courses for these skills have increased as the demand for niche HR skills has increased in the past few years.
Here are some prominent specialist HR certification
1. Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) – This certification equips you with the skills required to create and manage an organization-wide compensation program that takes fixed and variable pay into account. This certification is offered by World at Work.
2. Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) – This certification is offered by the Institute for Diversity Certification. CDP equips you with the skills to create programs that help organizations build diverse teams and help employers achieve their diversity goals.
2. Generalist certification – These are certifications that equip you with multiple skills and make you an expert in several HR functions and pave way for managerial and leadership roles.
The following are some prominent generalist HR certifications in the industry.
1. Senior Talent Management Practitioner (STMP) – This certification is offered by the Talent Management Institute. Taking STMP equips you with talent management practices, which is an essential part of the HR function today. Employers are looking to hire experienced talent management practitioners who can build and implement talent management strategies and help them attract, develop, and retain high-performing talent.
2. Global Talent Management Leader (GTML) – This certification is meant for HR professionals who aspire to take on global leadership roles. The certification equips with candidates with skills to build global talent management strategy and manage a global workforce.
Candidates who take this certification get access to learning material from the Wharton University, Pennsylvania. Plus, an opportunity to learn from notable global HR leaders.
3. Senior Professional in Human Resource (SPHR) – This certification is offered by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and is meant for HR professionals who aspire to take managerial roles. The certification equips the candidate with leadership and strategy, employee relationships, learning and development, and more skills.
4. Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) – This is a global leader certification meant for senior HR leaders who aspire to take a global leadership position where they are responsible for managing a global workforce. The certification shows the holder’s expertise in multinational HR responsibilities.
You can choose a certification depending on your area of interest and career aspiration.
