Best Way to Prepare for the HRCI HR Professional (PHR) Certification

HR Professional certification questions and exam summary helps you to get focused on the exam. This guide also helps you to be on PHR exam track to get certified with good score in the final exam.

HR Professional (PHR) Certification Summary

● Exam Name: HRCI Professional in Human Resources

● Exam Code: PHR

● Exam Fee: USD $395

● Application Fee: USD $100

● Exam Duration: 180 Minutes

● Number of Questions: 175

● Passing Score: 500 / 700

● Format: Multiple Choice Questions

● Books / Trainings: Preparation

● Schedule Exam: PROMETRIC

● Sample Questions: HRCI HR Professional Exam Sample Questions and Answers

● Practice Exam: HRCI Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Practice Test

HR Professional (PHR) Certification Exam Syllabus

01. Business Management (20%)

Responsibilities:

1. Interpret and apply information related to general business environment and industry best practices

2. Reinforce the organization’s core values, ethical and behavioral expectations through modeling, communication, and coaching

3. Understand the role of cross-functional stakeholders in the organization and establish relationships to influence decision making

4. Recommend and implement best practices to mitigate risk (for example: lawsuits, internal/external threats)

5. Determine the significance of data for recommending organizational strategies (for example: attrition rates, diversity in hiring, time to hire, time to fill, ROI, success of training)

Knowledge of:

1. Vision, mission, values, and structure of the organization

2. Legislative and regulatory knowledge and procedures

3. Corporate governance procedures and compliance

4. Employee communications

5. Ethical and professional standards

6. Business elements of an organization (for example: other functions and departments, products, competition, customers, technology, demographics, culture, processes, safety and security)

7. Existing HRIS, reporting tools, and other systems for effective data reporting and analysis

8. Change management theory, methods, and application

9. Risk management

10. Qualitative and quantitative methods and tools for analytics

11. Dealing with situations that are uncertain, unclear, or chaotic

02. Talent Planning and Acquisition (16%)

Responsibilities:

1. Understand federal laws and organizational policies to adhere to legal and ethical requirements in hiring (for example: Title VII, nepotism, disparate impact, FLSA, independent contractors)

2. Develop and implement sourcing methods and techniques (for example: employee referrals, diversity groups, social media)

3. Execute the talent acquisition lifecycle (for example: interviews, extending offers, background checks, negotiation).

Knowledge of:

1. Applicable federal laws and regulations related to talent planning and acquisition activities

2. Planning concepts and terms (for example: succession planning, forecasting)

3. Current market situation and talent pool availability

4. Staffing alternatives (for example: outsourcing, temporary employment)

5. Interviewing and selection techniques, concepts, and terms

6. Applicant tracking systems and/or methods

7. Impact of total rewards on recruitment and retention

8. Candidate/employee testing processes and procedures

9. Verbal and written offers/contract techniques

10. New hire employee orientation processes and procedures

11. Internal workforce assessments (for example: skills testing, workforce demographics, analysis)

12. Transition techniques for corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence process, offshoring, and divestitures

13. Metrics to assess past and future staffing effectiveness (for example: cost per hire, selection ratios, adverse impact)

03. Learning and Development (10%)

Responsibilities:

1. Provide consultation to managers and employees on professional growth and development opportunities

2. Implement and evaluate career development and training programs (for example: career pathing, management training, mentorship)

3. Contribute to succession planning discussions with management by providing relevant data

Knowledge of:

1. Applicable federal laws and regulations related to learning and development activities

2. Learning and development theories and applications

3. Training program facilitation, techniques, and delivery

4. Adult learning processes

5. Instructional design principles and processes (for example: needs analysis, process flow mapping)

6. Techniques to assess training program effectiveness, including use of applicable metrics

7. Organizational development (OD) methods, motivation methods, and problem-solving techniques

8. Task/process analysis

9. Coaching and mentoring techniques

10. Employee retention concepts and applications

11. Techniques to encourage creativity and innovation

04. Total Rewards (15%)

Responsibilities:

1. Manage compensation-related information and support payroll issue resolution

2. Implement and promote awareness of non-cash rewards (for example: paid volunteer time, tuition assistance, workplace amenities, and employee recognition programs)

3. Implement benefit programs (for example: health plan, retirement plan, employee assistance plan, other insurance)

4. Administer federally compliant compensation and benefit programs

Knowledge of:

1. Applicable federal laws and regulations related to total rewards

2. Compensation policies, processes, and analysis

3. Budgeting, payroll, and accounting practices related to compensation and benefits

4. Job analysis and evaluation concepts and methods

5. Job pricing and pay structures

6. Non-cash compensation

7. Methods to align and benchmark compensation and benefits

8. Benefits programs policies, processes, and analysis

05. Employee and Labor Relations (39%)

Responsibilities:

1. Analyze functional effectiveness at each stage of the employee lifecycle (for example: hiring, onboarding, development, retention, exit process, alumni program) and identify alternate approaches as needed

2. Collect, analyze, summarize, and communicate employee engagement data

3. Understand organizational culture, theories, and practices; identify opportunities and make recommendations

4. Understand and apply knowledge of programs, federal laws, and regulations to promote outreach, diversity and inclusion (for example: affirmative action, employee resource groups, community outreach, corporate responsibility)

5. Implement and support workplace programs relative to health, safety, security, and privacy following federal laws and regulations (for example: OSHA, workers’ compensation, emergency response, workplace violence, substance abuse, legal postings)

6. Promote organizational policies and procedures (for example: employee handbook, SOPs, time and attendance, expenses)

7. Manage complaints or concerns involving employment practices, behavior, or working conditions, and escalate by providing information to appropriate stakeholders

8. Promote techniques and tools for facilitating positive employee and labor relations with knowledge of applicable federal laws affecting union and nonunion workplaces (for example: dispute/conflict resolution, anti-discrimination policies, sexual harassment)

9. Support and consult with management in performance management process (for example: employee reviews, promotions, recognition programs)

10. Support performance activities (for example: coaching, performance improvement plans, involuntary separations) and employment activities (for example: job eliminations, reductions in force) by managing corresponding legal risks

Knowledge of:

1. General employee relations activities and analysis (for example, conducting investigations, researching grievances, working conditions, reports, etc.)

2. Applicable federal laws and procedures affecting employment, labor relations, safety, and security

3. Human relations, culture and values concepts, and applications to employees and organizations

4. Review and analysis process for assessing employee attitudes, opinions, and satisfaction

5. Diversity and inclusion

6. Recordkeeping requirements

7. Occupational injury and illness prevention techniques

8. Workplace safety and security risks

9. Emergency response, business continuity, and disaster recovery process

10. Internal investigation, monitoring, and surveillance techniques

11. Data security and privacy

12. The collective bargaining process, terms, and concepts (for example: contract negotiation, costing, administration)

13. Performance management process, procedures, and analysis

14. Termination approaches, concepts, and terms

HR Professional (PHR) Certification Questions

01. What HR data must be carefully accounted in order for public companies to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act?

a) Number of applicants b) Labor supply and demand c) Salaries, training costs, and paid time off d) Number of open enrollment participants 02. During a training session, a colleague says, “This is really similar to the software I developed at XYZ company ten years ago.” Which principle of Malcolm Knowles’ adult learning theory is best expressed by this statement?

a) Relevancy b) Self-direction c) Adult learner experience d) Mutual respect 03. In calculating regular wages, in what situations must the accounting manager pay all nonexempt employees?

a) The employee arrives to work an hour early in an effort to beat the traffic. b) Commuting time to and from the office. c) Pay wages 8–9 a.m. (shift starts at 10 a.m.) due to time spent waiting to hear whether the company will be open due to a snow storm. d) Pay wages 8–9 a.m. (shift starts at 8 a.m.) due to time spent waiting for the product to arrive to be able to inspect it. 04. Which of the following two benefits are taxable?

a) Disability benefits when employer pays the premium b) Employee-paid disability benefits when purchased with after-tax dollars c) Base pay d) Work-related company vehicle use 05. Which of the following best describes individuals who may have the qualifications for a job but are not actively looking for job opportunities?

a) A manager b) Passive candidates c) An employee d) Active candidates 06. Which is not one of the leadership practices that Kouzes and Posner identify for effective leadership?

a) Enable b) Persuade c) Model d) Encourage 07. Which two fields in applicant tracking systems should not be shared with hiring managers?

a) Applicant’s age b) Applicant’s self-identification of race and sex c) Applicant’s desired compensation d) Applicant’s self-identification of disabled and veteran status 08. The process that systematically surveys and interprets relevant and external data about the economy, government, laws, and demographic factors to identify external opportunities and threats is called what?

a) Human resource audit b) Environmental scanning c) Employee engagement survey d) Equal employment opportunity (EEO) analysis 09. Is it possible for employment policies (as laid out in the employee handbook) to take precedence over union contracts?

a) If there is a conflict between the union contract and the employer’s policies, the contract will always win. b) If a conflict arises, then the policy will always prevail. c) Whenever there are different provisions in a union contract and employer policy, the differences must be arbitrated to resolution. d) It is up to the manager of the unit involved to determine which will be applied in a given situation. 10. Besides the monetary investment made in an employee, what is the greatest drawback of employee turnover?

a) Loss of knowledge, skills, and abilities. b) New employees will need to be hired, causing a burden to the HR department. c) The loss of that employee will impact the morale of the whole team. d) New employees will need more intense supervision, therefore causing additional time and resources for the organization. Answers:

Question: 01: Answer: c

Question: 02: Answer: c

Question: 03: Answer: d

Question: 04: Answer: a, c

Question: 05: Answer: b

Question: 06: Answer: b

Question: 07: Answer: b, d

Question: 08: Answer: b

Question: 09: Answer: a

Question: 10: Answer: a

How to Register for HR Professional Certification Exam?

Visit site for Register HR Professional Certification Exam.