Human Resources Professional

• Learn industry-recognized practices that align with the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
• Be fully prepared for the Professional in Human Resources or the Associate Professional in Human Resources certification from HRCI. You will also be prepared for the Certified Professional certification by SHRM. 
• Understand human resources practices and valuable skills related to recruitment and training.
• Gain foundational knowledge of employment laws and regulations.
• Develop retention initiatives and best practices for strategic decision making.
• Learn strategies for implementing retention initiatives, remote work, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) considerations.

There are no specific prerequisites for taking this course. However, HRCI requires that you meet one of the following criteria in order to sit for PHR certification: 

• A minimum of one (1) year of experience in a professional level HR position with a master's degree or higher.
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience in a professional level HR position with a bachelor's degree.
• A minimum of four (4) years of experience in a professional level HR position with less than a bachelor's degree.
• No HR experience is required to sit for the aPHR exam. You will need a high school diploma, but you don’t need any additional education. 
• Similarly, no HR experience or degree is required for the SHRM-CP exam; however, a basic working knowledge of HR practices and principles or a degree from a SHRM Academically Aligned program is recommended. 

• Introduction to Human Resources: Learn about opportunities in the HR field and the skills you will need for success.
• HR’s Role in Strategy: Learn how to create compelling vision and mission statements, policies, and metrics grounded in business strategy.
• Affermative Action: Learn the full spectrum of affirmative action, how to create an affirmative action plan, and information on the AAP you will need to know.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Understand what diversity, equity, and inclusion is and why it is a good thing in an organization as you learn to foster inclusiveness in your organization. 
• Making HR Decisions: Learn how to make decisions based on various company growth strategies and how to use HRIS Software as well as job analysis as a tool for decision-making.
• Retention: Learn the top reasons employees leave a company and how you can encourage them to stay, as well as the importance of career development, training programs, and succession planning.
• Recruiting and Hiring Employees: Understand how to write a job ad that will attract candidates, effectively review résumés, properly prepare for an interview, and formally make a job offer.
• Training Programs: Learn the basics of training, including the design, development, implementation, analysis, and evaluation of training programs.
• Creating a High-Performing Workplace: Learn how to ask employees for input and act on it, delegate authority, keep communication open, and continuously ask for feedback as you strive to develop a high-performance workplace.
• Appraising and Improving Employees' Performance: Learn the purpose of performance appraisals and the key elements. Identify the most common biases and errors that affect performance appraisals.
• Remote Work: Understand the current state of remote and hybrid work. Evaluate the best practices and legal considerations for remote and hybrid work.
• Workplace Communication, Motivation, and Digital Media: Learn the importance and best practices for networking and relationship building. Identify different ways to improve employee motivation.
• Compensation and Benifits: Understand all the things that must be considered when designing a compensation and benefits package.
• Employee Health and Safety: Learn the ins and outs of complying with OSHA, protecting against workplace hazards, and investigating, recording, and preventing accidents and employee illnesses.
• The Legal Environment: Gain knowledge of employment law as well as an understanding of equal employment opportunity, avoiding discrimination, and what happens when an employee files an EEOC claim.
• Employee Rights and Dicipline: Learn the laws that protect employee rights and privacy and how to properly monitor and document behavior and discipline employees.
• Investigations: Learn why it is so important to investigate problems as well as the steps of an effective investigation, including preparing, conducting, and wrapping it up.
• Managing Labor Relations: Get a quick overview of the history of unions as you learn how they work and why employees join them.
• Global Human Resources: Understand the basics of staffing strategy, cultural differences, HR in other countries, choosing global employees, and issues faced by expatriates.
• Preparing for the aPHR, PHR, and SHRM-CP Exams: Review the subjects that the aPHR, PHR, and SHRM-CP exams cover. Identify the testing requirements and prepare for your exam.  

Anna Smith

Anna Smith has worked in the field of human resources for 30 years and has taught at the university level for over 20 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Spalding University, a master's degree in management from Webster University, and a Master Online Teaching certificate from the University of Illinois. She is also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional. Her experience spans many areas of human resources, including recruitment, labor relations, and affirmative action plans.

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Is human resources a good career?

Absolutely. Every organization, large or small, needs someone who can help them with employee relations. A career in human resources can be whatever you make it. There are dozens and dozens of specialties and career paths to fit almost anyone interested in helping others while improving relations between employers and employees.

Do you need a certification to work as a human resources specialist?

While a certification is not required to work as a human resources specialist, the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification is one of the most widely known and respected credentials in the field of human resources. It is also a requirement by most employers before you will be considered for higher-level human resources roles.

Does this course prepare me for certification?

Yes. This Human Resources Professional training course will prepare you for the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and the Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) exams offered by the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI). This course also prepares you for the Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) exam. According to Payscale.com, those who have PHR certification get promoted faster and have a median salary that is $20,000 higher than those who do not.