I have a close friend who works in the legal field and is taking the PHR for the first time. He sent me an e-mail last night stating that he was so disenchanted with everything he was learning that he was questioning going into the field at all. He remarked that the study guides were so filled with corporate jargon that he had a hard time understanding the meaning of the modules.

TRUST ME, I UNDERSTAND!!!! I LOATHE CORPORATE JARGON!

Hrmph.

I really took this to heart because my “dislike” side of HR says that “PHR” is nothing but a three letter word that may get a person some extra cha-ching in their check when they are looking for a new job.

My love side says, hell with it…Take it. What do you have to lose? You may, in fact, have EVERYTHING to gain!

I advised him to think hard about what his career goals are but to also remember that HR is constantly evolving and that the “body of knowledge” that SHRM puts out is only a fraction of what he will probably use in his career.

Is that bitchy?

I am good at my job and I love HR…I love HR-related technology and how it is propelling organizations and management forward when it is embraced and used correctly.

I also love your column and the posts I get daily because they keep me from going insane.

I wish you the best in 2010 and I am so thankful I have your posts to read when I get to work. They give me hope; they make me proud of working in HR; and let me know that there’s a different and sometimes better way of doing things aside from what a “test” tells us to do.

Peace to you and keep blogging!

@Jenn Your mom is so wise.

@Ivana Thanks.

@JL YO & thanks.

@debbie @michael @icepick Thank you so much.

@KHG you had me at robert smith.

@Corey I heart you. Thanks. That was nice to read and very good points on the marketability and relevancy of the certification.

@Lindsay I think the Groucho comment is so funny. Thank you.

@HR/DC Thank you so much. I’m with you on the love&hate.

@eve Good luck @ school. You can do it.

The field of HR would benefit to have more people like you.

Eve Lessard
@bhired

I have a love/hate relationship with the PHR/SPHR. I certified as a PHR and to be honest, I use NOTHING that I learned in my position as an HR Manager. However, I use the business acumen that I’ve learned over the years, along with the advice of several mentors. Believe me, I am truly grateful for all of the terrific supervisors and mentors that I’ve had over the years!!

Out on a limb here…Speaking from personal experience only, I find the content on the PHR/SPHR exams to be of little use in the various HR jobs I’ve held and dammit, I do a great job as an HR professional! Our department heads and organizational leaders talk in dollars, ROI, efficiency, savings, etc. They could care less about “theory”.

I applaud everyone who has taken the cert exams. Kudos to you! I just don’t think that having 3-4 letters behind your name makes you any smarter or “more worthy” than anyone else in the field.

You rock, your blog rocks, and I am glad I stumbled upon it.

Best to you, nail the exam, and make sure you pet your cats every day!

The last three jobs I’ve applied to have all required a SHRM certification. I don’t have one and I don’t wear pantsuits. I’ve gotten all three jobs, and I’ve rocked ‘em.

The way you dare to buck the traditional role of HR is why I follow this blog – and honestly, I see the SHRM cert. as the membership card of the old guard…

Besides, Laurie, you’re punk, right? As Mr. Marx’s said:
PLEASE ACCEPT MY RESIGNATION. I DON’T WANT TO BELONG TO ANY CLUB THAT WILL ACCEPT ME AS A MEMBER.

Does that really apply to Laurie? I don’t know, but it might be easier for her to sell her brand if she has it. For better or worse, it is one of the few yard sticks we have.

As for Laurie not being in HR, that is ludicrous. She is more knowledgeable and entrenched in the HR field than most 20+ year veterans I know.

- i donno, i keep thinking of these dudes i knew back in the day, who would claim that they were CEO’s or Entrepreneurs and make up fake power lunches to maintain the illusion. sometimes who we say we are just ain’t da truth!