Tag Archives: Rock the PHR

Wanna Join the Rock the PHR Email List?

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?

 

PHR Study Materials (cheap and free)

show me the moneyBecause of my involvement in the HR certification scene, I get asked often about PHR study materials. More often than not I recommend one of our courses along with another book or inexpensive study material, 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

The bare essentials

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. The bare essentials: Anne Bogardus book and the PHR/SPHR Self Study Course. You’ll get enough content in those two resources to successfully pass the exam.

How to get your employer to pay for it

If you are working and don’t want to pay out of pocket, here are some ideas on how to make that happen. I recently shot this video for the subscribers to the free SPHR/PHR 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.

Free HR Flashcards-Take 2

human resources certification flashcards

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 →

Are you ready?

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.

Rock the PHR Relaunch

launchHello, 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?

PHR-SPHR Deadline and Free Practice Exam

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.

Get the HRCP discount

If you’d like to get a $20 discount on the HRCP program, click here to get the discount code.

My life in 700 words

mtndewEvery so often, I try to give some sort of mass update here, because people often ask what I\’m working on, why I\’m taking forever to reply to their emails, or what my favorite type of cookie is (probably chocolate chip brownie pillows). Anyway, here\’s the stuff that you do and don\’t want to know about my current level of insanity.

  1. The last time I posted on the goings-on, I was gently reminded by a few of my friends out there that it looks like I’m not taking enough time for family. I just don’t usually bore people with that kind of thing. I live a fairly boring life outside of my jobs. But to satisfy those familial cravings, just check out #10 and #11. :-)
  2. At the urging of a friend, I have started writing three times a week on this blog ( Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). This is a change from my normal “whenever” posting. It’s interesting to try to fit to a schedule, but it’s also a lot of fun, too.
  3. With sales doing about as well as I had hoped, I have been working to finish the second Rock the PHR bonus item. It\’s actually 99% complete, and I have started to outline the third (and probably last) bonus giveaway. For only $14.99, this thing is a steal if you\’re planning to take the HR certification exam.
  4. I\’m writing a post every Monday for the RocketHR blog. I\’m trying to make it more beginner-friendly, and I\’m hoping that it will be a stepping stone for my local HR professionals into the world of social media.
  5. In a recent post, I went over some of what I\’m doing with the local SHRM chapter\’s student group. I was one of those youngsters not too long ago, and I am looking forward to helping them with all of the wisdom I\’ve accumulated (i.e. not much).
  6. Along with my designer, I am revamping my company\’s website. It\’s going to be more user-friendly, searchable, and better aligned to our organizational goals. It\’s been a fun experience so far.
  7. My online antics never cease, because I have also started working with another local SHRM chapter to help them set up a Website. (If your local chapter doesn\’t have a Website but wants something, shoot me an email. I might be able to help.)
  8. Secret project with Stephen from HR Gumbo. I’m waaay slower than he is at times. :-)
  9. I’ve been working on a half marathon training plan with the race scheduled in November. Should be a lot of fun. Haven’t done a long race since the Dizzy Fifties 50k a few years ago.
  10. My wife is amazing, and I’ve been working with her as a coach to help her prepare for a local 5k. She is going to do amazingly well. I tried to promote it to my coworkers, but with less than 5 days to race day, my wife and I are the only ones who have signed up for our team!
  11. Not sure how many of you know about it, but we’re adopting. And this thing has been going very slow in recent weeks with lots of work and extracurricular activities. But we’ve finally finished most of the preparation work for the home study, and we’re getting ready for our adoption.
  12. HRevolution planning is going well, and we are gearing up for the big day. It’s about three weeks away, but I can remember when it was three months away, and that blows my mind. We have a few sponsor slots left (last time I checked), and if anyone’s looking to put $25o or $500 toward a good cause, you might be able to secure one of the final slots.
  13. My loads of spare time are spent building my business and helping others do the same. I’ve been talking with 4-5 people about getting their own products/services out there on the market, and it’s amazingly fun for me.

I’m sure I’m missing a lot of other things that are going on. The Diet Mountain Dew is flowing cold and fast these days, and I’m hoping to keep up the amazing work that I’m allowed to do on a daily basis. Look for another “real” post on Friday, assuming I can keep up with the schedule I just committed to.