To the surprise of many HR professionals, the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) announced in May that it will begin offering a new competency-based certification in addition to and completely separate from the HR certifications currently offered by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).  Until now, certifications offered by HRCI have been the acknowledged gold standard in the field.  More recently aneverythingpeople.™ This Week! article outlined details of the new SHRM certifications as well as the battle to come over which certification—SHRM or HRCI—will ultimately become the premier certification for HR professionals.

Earlier this month, SHRM released the SHRM Body of Competency and Knowledge (BoCK) which outlines the knowledge and behaviors on which the new SHRM certifications will be based.  According to Henry G. (Hank) Jackson, SHRM’s President and CEO, the “release is significant because it provides the framework for the profession to continue the evolution of HR professionals to be strategic business leaders. This is what the business community demands.” 

The SHRM Body of Competency and Knowledge documents nine behavioral and technical competencies on which the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certifications are based. It also serves as the basis for the certification exams, the SHRM Learning System and the three-year recertification process for the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP.

SHRM’s competency model outlines the following nine primary competencies:

The BoCK provides an overall definition of each competency, sub-competencies associated with the primary competency, and behaviors that each professional should demonstrate in relation to each competency.

The competency model provides a continuum that distinguishes four different career levels: early, mid, senior, and executive.  As HR professionals view the nine primary competencies and their associated behaviors, they can see how the behaviors evolve as an HR professional progresses in his or her career.    For example, the communication skills required for an entry-level HR professional will vary greatly from those needed by an HR professional in a management level position. 

In response to the announcement from SHRM, the HR Certification Institute issued the following written statement in Workforce from HRCI Executive Director Amy Schabacker Dufrane:

We have not yet had a chance to closely review the proposed Body of Knowledge in detail. However, many leaders in the HR profession continue to raise legitimate questions and concerns about SHRM’s proposed certification that should be assessed . . . SHRM’s certifications are not accredited. Their model envisions a single umbrella organization that will be selling both certification preparation resources as well as administering the exams and granting certifications. SHRM also asks HR professionals to bet that their certifications will become known by employers and recognized in the marketplace. More concerning is that SHRM says it will offer its certifications for free in exchange for current HRCI certificants who take an online tutorial. How does this measure up with the rigor and quality HR professionals should expect from their certifications?  . . . We believe there’s a clear choice for those seeking a trusted, verified and proven HR certification.

For now, HR professionals will have to consider which certification they wish hold and whether it is worth the time, effort and cost to obtain and maintain both.

HR professionals with current HRCI certifications in good standing will be eligible to take the SHRM tutorial beginning January 5, 2015 in order to apply for the new SHRM certifications. This streamlined “pathway” that avoids full-blown testing is only available through the end of 2015.  For those not qualified for the streamlined process, the first testing window for SHRM certification(s) will begin May 1 and run through July 15, 2015.   Information on the SHRM certifications is available here.

Sources: SHRM; Workforce 9/11/2014