I'm currently the Staffing Specialist at my company. I've only been in the field and in my position for 9 months and plan to take the SHRM-CP test in the fall. While I feel confident in what I do, I don't feel so confident in my overall knowledge of HR.

My VP has budgeted for me to receive study materials about a month before the test, but I personally need a little more time to study as I get test performance anxiety. Do any of you have any inexpensive suggestions for study materials?

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I have my SHRM-CP certification. It is not an easy test and I think you’ll need more than a month to study. I followed their learning system and I studied for about 5 months before the exam. I also had 9 years of HR management experience at the time of the exam. I passed on my first try, thankfully. I also took the SHRM HR Specialist and HR Generalist courses before going for the CP exam. I would recommend taking those certifications before jumping right into the SHRM-CP.

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I really like my boss. She took me on with no experience in HR and has put a lot of faith in me. I can see she means well, but like you said, I know myself better than she does. I was so nervous about posting, but now that I have I'm grateful for the advice and guidance you and everyone else has given.

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There is this HR group on FB called Conquer HR http://www.conquer-hr.com
She literally lets you know everything that will be on the exam - the boot camps comes with the study materials you will need. I also suggest the SHRM books from the learning center.

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This is great and not too expensive. Thank you!

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If you have access to LinkedIn Learning, you can find a ton of courses on there you can take before you “officially begin” your study sessions. This is what I recommend to all of my team members taking the SHRM-CP and it’s proven to be a successful tactic!

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I second the advice about Conquer HR above, as you can also purchase boot camps from her and listen to them at your own pace I believe. I personally got a lot out of the SHRM prep course that a lot of universities have because not only are you getting taught by professionals in real time (I did mine all online), but you also get access to the SHRM practice system and books that are directly from SHRM as well. Because it’s a direct collaboration with SHRM, you’ll most likely see questions you answer via those testing materials. I took and passed mine in July 2020 (which was when they were only doing virtual testing options that I DO NOT recommend) and I definitely had questions on my test that I had on the practice tests from the class. That’s kind of pricey though, so I think there’s a way to just purchase the SHRM practice system from them directly I believe.

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I think that’s a really good idea! That will also help you figure out if you really are ready for the test as well as potentially show your boss that you’re trying, but also potentially give you more evidence to present to them as to why you need more study time.

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I attended the SHRM 9 week online training course, as well as reading all of the SHRM bock training materials. I did all of that training after hours in the evenings. That whole process was priceless in helping with the exam prep.

It is not an easy exam and I had many years of HR experience in all areas of HR before taking the SCP exam. You'll need more time to get guidance in all areas of HR. The pass rate has consistently been in the mid 60% for the CP and 50% for the SCP.

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This certification tests for competency based on your experience working in HR. I know HR is extremely busy working on complaince, safety, remote work, mental health and of course the talent shortage, but have you seen enough in 9 months to feel competent enough to take this exam? You don't have to rush it, unless it's a requirement for the job. Any thoughts on moving to the next testing window?

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I wouldn't be opposed to moving it to the next window, but I've been strongly encourage to take it in the fall. I do work closely with our Director of Payroll, Employee Relation Specialist, and our VP. Our department is small and everyday I get more responsibilities that don't quite fit into my Staffing responsibilities. My VP has made it clear she wants me to become our Generalist, so I need to start broadening the scope of my knowledge.

I am so impressed by this thread. All of you gave such positive, supportive responses. Good luck to our future tester.

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