I haven’t mentioned HR Certification in a while, because I’ve obviously provided dozens of resources for those looking for their PHR, SPHR, or GPHR. However… I’ve decided to offer a cool bonus for those who purchase the HRCP Study Materials and use the “upstart” promo code to get the $20 discount (more info on that on the HR certification page).

Here’s the deal

If you purchase the HRCP materials between now and the end of the year and use my promo code, I will give you a free copy of the Rock the PHR guide! All you have to do is forward me the purchase confirmation email and I’ll send you an email with a link to download the guide. That’s a $20 discount on the HRCP product and a free $20 eBook, which is a pretty good deal in my opinion. Instead of paying $650-$815 for SHRM’s materials, you can get a study guide that covers the same material from for $325 (with the HRCP discount).

I’ve been looking for ways to help people out and this is a great way to pair up one of the top study resources out there with a short guide detailing the “how to” of exam prep and study strategy/tips. If you’ve been thinking about getting certified, this is your kick start!

If you’re interested in getting certified with your PHR or SPHR (or heck, even your GPHR, we don’t discriminate over here at upstartHR headquarters!), then I have a tool you might not be aware of. For the past year, I’ve been writing a monthly email newsletter and sending it to HR pros who are prepping for their certification exams.

The emails usually go out on the first day of the month, but February’s shortened calendar always screws with me, so this one will be a day or two late.

As a bonus, there’s an exclusive 3 part video series I put together on why I help people get certified, how to get your employer to pay for your materials, and what to do with it once you have the certification.

If you’re one of those great (great!) people who purchases the Rock the PHR study guide, you get access to the entire archive of the newsletters back through January 2010. I consistently hear back from people who pass the exam telling me they really appreciate this tool keeping them motivated and on top of their studies.

Now, I know that certification isn’t for everyone, but if you would like to get on the list, here’s a snapshot of a recent email newsletter. If you’d like to sign up, just click the image! Did I mention it’s free?

Because of my involvement in the HR certification scene, I get asked often about PHR study materials. More often than not I recommend HRCP for people with a little money to spend, but the message below prompted a thought.

Hi! I am signed up for the PHR and looking for study materials. Since I’m in transition, my budget is super tight so I’d love to get something for less than retail prices. Thank you! Amy in Orlando

If I had to start all over again and study with the limited budget I have, what would I use to prepare?

Studying on the cheap

First of all, I’d look through the various resources for the PHR and SPHR exams I’ve gathered over the past 24 months. There are some great tools in there that are totally free and would be a good place to find some help. But you’ll only get so far with free stuff. In truth, I’d probably just use the same resources to study as I did for the PHR exam last year.

1. Two pack of HRCI practice exams $70
2. Anne Bogardus PHR/SPHR book ~$40
3. Any other practice exams available

I know there are a lot of people in transition right now and some of them are looking at certification as a way to help increase their marketability as a candidate. With that in mind, I’ve created a special discount code for the PHR study guide I wrote. If anyone uses “cheap” as their discount code during checkout, they get 50% off the price of the guide. Just my way of giving a helping hand to those who need it.

How to get your employer to pay for it

Other ideas come to mind, and I recently shot this video for the subscribers to the free RTPHR email newsletter. It might give you some thoughts on how to reduce your cost and maybe even get your employer to pick up the tab!

Email subscribers may need to click through to view the video.

I have more free HR flashcards to give away!

Read on to learn how you can get in the drawing for this prize valued at $25.

The Scoop

I’m offering the Rock the PHR eBook for only $14.97 for a limited time. All you have to do is use the discount code flashcard to get the lower price. (The package has has multiple bonuses that more than double the value of the guide.) Continue Reading »

The new version of the Rock the PHR guide is going live today at 6:00 p.m. Central. I’ve been pushing it hard in the past few weeks, but that’s only because I think it’s really going to help people with their own exams. I’ve bumped the price since the initial release, but some people have told me that it’s still cheap (especially now that it comes with a private forum/chat room, a 50-question practice exam, and more).

For the first 10 buyers, I’m going to throw in a special bonus report that will not be available to the public. You won’t want to miss it.

If you’re already certified, or if you think that it’s not for you, it wouldn’t hurt to pass it along to someone who could benefit. Thanks for playing along. Look for another “regular” post on Wednesday.

Here’s the link to the Rock the PHR page (I’ll turn off the redirect around 6:00 p.m. Central or a maybe a bit before then).

The guide received two reviews in its first revision. Feel free to check them out here and here.

Hello, everyone! I have some exciting news to share. Rock the PHR study guide will be relaunching on January 4th, and this time it will be bigger, better, and the bonuses will most definitely rock. I’ve been working feverishly on this thing, and I can’t wait to see how it goes. The original guide has been around since August 2009, and it has helped dozens of people in their PHR and SPHR studies. Despite a really crappy sales page and a relatively soft launch the first go ’round, it has performed admirably. Now that I’ve worked out some of the kinks, it’s time to really cut loose. Some of the cool stuff this time around…

Email Newsletter

I’ve set up an email newsletter. Anyone is free to sign up. It has tips and advice for preparing for, studying for, and taking the exam. The best part about getting on the list is being able to get the early bird discount. The link to the discount won’t be public, so if you’re even remotely interested, get the newsletter. And pass it along to a friend if you think they may want to take the exam next year.

Bonuses

[Deep and booming biblical voice] In the beginning, there were bonuses. And they were good. There are three sweet bonus items included in the Rock the PHR package. I’ll elaborate on them later, but they include a practice exam, special study tips, and a private forum. The value is just dripping off of these things.

Affiliates

In an effort to bring more joy to the world [seasonal humor!], I’ve created an affiliate program for the guide. If you are interested, you just sign up, send the link to anyone (or post it on your website if you have one), and if they make a purchase, then you get a sweet bonus. If that sounds cool, just check this page for more information. Please email me if you have questions or want more info.

List (again)

Again… The link to join the email list is here. If you think you might take the exam in 2010 or 2011, why not sign up ahead of time? You can save all of the emails and have your own stockpile of great study tips before your exam even gets close. Plus you might learn something to help you with your daily job. Huh, imagine that.

More info as the launch gets closer, and be sure to get on the email list if you want to get the special early bird pricing. Let’s kick off 2010′s professional development with a bang, shall we?

Update 11/14: Eric has won the free PHR practice exam for giving the best comment. Good luck to everyone who commented!

Just a quick reminder to everyone out there contemplating the PHR or SPHR exam—the test window is closing on November 13th. If you miss the deadline, you will have to wait until mid-2010 to take the exam. I can tell the final registration date is closing in, because I’ve received more than a dozen emails from people looking for support, encouragement, direction, or resources.

Everyone knows that the best PHR study guide was developed right here, but everyone might not know about the free bonus exam that goes along with it (thanks to April for helping!).

I’ve decided to give away a free copy of the 50 question PHR practice exam.

I want to hear from people who have taken or who plan to take the exam. Why in the world did you study your tail off just to have the opportunity to add a few letters after your name? Was it for a promotion? Did you want a new job? I’d like to know the motivations behind your attempt at the PHR or SPHR exam. There’s a free 50 question practice exam in it for the best answer I get by November 13th! And remember, the deadline from HRCI is November 13th, so sign up if you plan to take the test.