Certification is a great idea, and while it doesn’t define you as a professional, it definitely distinguishes you from your peers.

Like you said, studying for the PHR/SPHR gives you an opportunity to learn sections of HR that you don’t usually work in. The SHRM Learning System is a great resource for this. It has the number 1 pass rate and is consistently updated to ensure the most up-date information.

@Lori good luck with the GPHR!

And, Tim, yes, sometimes years of experience can be narrow but only if you don’t broaden your own horizons – if you limit yourself. I haven’t limited myself and love to learn and improve upon what I know to keep up with current knowledge. Now, I do have a B.A. in English so that may help others define my abilities – it is a certification of sorts. What it did for me? It taught me to never stop asking and never stop learning.

I gained so much knowledge preparing for the SPHR that I do feel somewhat defined by it professionally. It hasn’t helped much in convincing others, though. In my job search, the first question I am ever asked is how large my previous company was. When I say 40 people, I am almost always summarily dismissed as not having enough experience.

I would do it again, in a heartbeat, if I had to. I am just starting to think about recertification and how I can maintain everything that I have learned, even though I am not working. It has given me confidence to stand tall and move forward, despite what others think. That’s defining enough for me.