Do You Need the SPHR to Become a VP of HR?

I've written on certification before, so for what it's worth, I answered the above question as part of an "Ask Workforce" series over at www.workforce.com.  I couldn't find the published article, so here's the answer I gave for the question:

Dear Workforce:

I aspire to be a Vice President of Human Resources one day and I was wondering if I need a certification (such as that offered by SHRM)? How important is it in pursuing my career goal? Please advise, thank you...

To reach your goal of becoming a VP of HR, you'll need to be among the best at what you do as a HR professional who rises through the HR Rep, HR Manager and HR Director levels in an organization. The HR discipline is filled with great VP examples on both sides of this question - those who have certification and those who don't. You've got to be progressive, business-savvy and results-oriented, and you can do that without certification as many have.

So here's the bottom line from my perspective: Certification is valuable to everyone, but common sense dictates that the economic and career path value is greater for those who are early in their careers. If you are at the HR manager level or below, and can make the time to pursue
certification, do it now. You'll differentiate yourself from the herd, whether you plan on staying forever in your Fortune 500 HR shop, or intend to switch jobs and companies in the next couple of years.  Certification can and is used as a "resume sorter" by many companies when it comes time to hire their next HR Manager, HR Director, or VP of HR.

Certification isn't required to get where you want to be. That said, if a significant portion of companies use it to evaluate candidate criteria, it makes sense to have it. The quicker you gain the necessary experience at the rep, manager and director level, the quicker you'll get to your goal of being a VP of HR. Expand your pool of opportunity if you have the time and resources to pursue certification.

Good luck!

See also:

http://www.workforce.com/section/09/feature/25/25/13/

http://www.hrcapitalist.com/2007/12/eligible-to-sit.html

Let me know your thoughts/perspective in the comments.  Many paths lead to the same place...

Comments

[Patrick]

I think it really comes down to the potential employer or manager. The analogy I would use is a MBA or "Top School" candidate. Some companies really hold out for only the people with the "best" work/education pedigree and will not consider candidates with more life or work experience, but a lesser pedigree.

The same thing can certainly be true of a SPHR/PHR candidate. Simply, some companies will put more emphasis on it, some will use it as a tie breaker, and for some it is a nice to have.

I actually have my SPHR certification and I do debate on the cost/time necessary to keep it up and the value it holds for me in having it. There is a pretty hefty recertification process and the easiest way to meet those requirements is to attend SHRM conferences, which are not cheap.

However, the unknown for me is that I have not conducted a job search with the certification. I was certified just before joining my current employer and it really did not have an impact on the process. But, I can tell you that I believe my current employer sees it more as a "nice to have" and would not have put a lot of value on me having it during the interview process.

[Totally Consumed]

It's not required if you have a JD or MBA; otherwise, yeah, it's pretty much required.

[KD]

Patrick -

I agree with your assessment. Best case for those who have, it's a requirement, worst case if you have it - it's a resume sorter.

Still, all in all, it's worth having and keeping in my eyes.

PS - on the certification hours, next time you need them, check into how many hours you get get via webinars. I think SHRM may offer unlimited hours with those, especially from the SHRM site, where there's a large library. Free, you can play them in the background while you're looking at emails.

Thanks - KD

[HR Wench]

Short answer: It's a good idea.

Long answer: It depends. A VPHR at one company is not necessarily the same at another. I worked at a mid sized organization where there was a huge difference between the requirements for VPHR and SVPHR. I also worked at a smaller organization where someone with no education or experience in HR was called the Director of HR (and was the "head honcho" of HR in a health care setting).