Frank, I logged in too late today to wish you good luck in a timely manner...but I hope it went well.
Don't panic if you think you blew it. I'll never forget the feeling I had when I walked out of the exam. It could best be described as "S#@$, I just flused a thousand bucks down the toilet" (the cost of the prep course plus the exam). But I passed and got my SPHR, and better yet, it was the last year that you could get your SPHR and -- after three renewals based on continuing ed., etc., you got permanent certification with no renewal requirements. Yee-HAW !!!!!!
17 years in HR, and I never really gave a damn about the cert. My current employer thinks it's huge, though, and they've been willing to pay for everything, so what the heck.
Well, I passed. That officially qualifies the following comment as "NOT sour grapes".
What a joke this test is. 225 questions, and I think 100 of them were on expatriation/repatriation. Another 100 or so on Balanced Scorecards. Okay, maybe there weren't quite that many, but close. I'm not exaggerating when I say there was ONE question about sexual harassment... ONE question about sex descrimination... TWO questions about disparate/adverse impact. Many of the questions were so poorly worded it was nearly impossible to determine what they were actually asking. In at least 10 cases there was a far better and more obvious answer that wasn't included as an option. As I said, what a joke.
Congratulations! But I agree -- it feels sorta like a hollow victory when the test is so ludicrous; I thought the same thing when I took it about 15 years ago. Still, you should bask in the new-found glory of your lofty certified status. In other words, milk it for whatever it's worth.
I agree with Whirl. I took it about 5 years ago and wondered why I did all the studying for it when I didn't feel the questions truely captured if you were a professional in the HR field or just someone who studied!
I won't have to at my current place of employment. My predecessor apparently made it pretty clear to everyone what it was all about when she took the test. When I told a co-worker (not even remotely near HR) that I couldn't attend a meeting Tuesday because I was sitting for an exam, she immediately asked "Is this the one where you get to replace your business cards and letterhead?" Nothing like a little internal marketing done for me ahead of time!
I always found it amusing that SHRM tries to tell everyone that the PHR and SPHR are "equal" and one is not superior to the other. The theory being they have different (but equal) focuses.
But I still the sense the smugness of my SPHR brethren.
But in all seriousness, since many HR people come through the back door to their HR career, I think its great that there is a certification that you can get which represents a certain level of achievement and knowledge.
Q, Found this on web - Repatriation also refers to the recovery of body parts. In previous eras it was common for British colonial authorities to collect heads and other body parts of indigenous peoples such as Indigenous Australians and Māori for display in British museums. The repatriation of these body parts is current ongoing. For an example of a successful body part repatriation, see Yagan.
Somehow I don't think this would be the SPHR definition, do you?
Well in today's context repatriation means sending the illegals back to their home country. Something like Phoenix sending Q back to Nebraska and Ritaanz back to NJ.
Often, the "dirty work" is considered to be HR's job. I suppose body part recovery, if ever needed, would be pushed my way. HR people are sometimes perceived to be bloodthirsty henchmen/women anyway, so maybe it fits. I can have the heads of my "victims" mounted on the wall.
I'm feeling crabby today. All three a/c units went out last night. Payroll has to go out today, so my assistant can't leave. I think maybe it would be rude for me to leave her here, so we are staying.
I created my own evap cooler (ritaanz knows what that is) by placing a glass of iced tea in front of my desk fan. It's blowing relatively cool air at me. I also brought in a big watermelon and cut it up for everyone to share.
My shoes are off, and several of us are threatening to strip down to our skivvies. The thermostat currently says 90, and it's supposed to be 113 outside today.
The a/c "fixit" guy is well aware of his precarious situation and is hard at work.
We're drowning in my neck of the woods. The small hill country town of Marble Falls near Austin made the national news yesterday by getting 19 inches of rain in one day, half of which fell in an hour. Here in Austin proper, my limestone patio is covered with green slime and my front yard has been taken over by giant snails.
Whirl, my dad lives in Lampasas and so far so good but he is keeping a close eye on the creek behind his house! From famine to feast...will at least there won't be water rationing!
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 06-28-07 AT 02:28PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Whirlwind, did you see how ray didn't trust you to be truthful and felt compelled to research it?
I just took you for your word. I know it rains a lot in some areas.
Sounds like you had "movie rain." Rain that comes down not in drops but in SHEETS. I remember in NE that after a big rain there would be worms all over the place, and then a day later, there would be squashed, baked worms on the sidewalks and streets.
We will need video confirmation that Q's air conditioning is working and they have their clothes on. This repair did not take nearly long enough if it was performed by a normal repairperson.
Comments
Don't panic if you think you blew it. I'll never forget the feeling I had when I walked out of the exam. It could best be described as "S#@$, I just flused a thousand bucks down the toilet" (the cost of the prep course plus the exam). But I passed and got my SPHR, and better yet, it was the last year that you could get your SPHR and -- after three renewals based on continuing ed., etc., you got permanent certification with no renewal requirements. Yee-HAW !!!!!!
17 years in HR, and I never really gave a damn about the cert. My current employer thinks it's huge, though, and they've been willing to pay for everything, so what the heck.
What a joke this test is. 225 questions, and I think 100 of them were on expatriation/repatriation. Another 100 or so on Balanced Scorecards. Okay, maybe there weren't quite that many, but close. I'm not exaggerating when I say there was ONE question about sexual harassment... ONE question about sex descrimination... TWO questions about disparate/adverse impact. Many of the questions were so poorly worded it was nearly impossible to determine what they were actually asking. In at least 10 cases there was a far better and more obvious answer that wasn't included as an option. As I said, what a joke.
Now, bring on the new business cards, dammit.
about 5 years ago and wondered
why I did all the studying for
it when I didn't feel the questions
truely captured if you were a
professional in the HR field
or just someone who studied!
When I told a co-worker (not even remotely near HR) that I couldn't attend a meeting Tuesday because I was sitting for an exam, she immediately asked "Is this the one where you get to replace your business cards and letterhead?"
Nothing like a little internal marketing done for me ahead of time!
But I still the sense the smugness of my SPHR brethren.
But in all seriousness, since many HR people come through the back door to their HR career, I think its great that there is a certification that you can get which represents a certain level of achievement and knowledge.
Especially in the area of repatriation.
What is repatriation?
Found this on web - Repatriation also refers to the recovery of body parts. In previous eras it was common for British colonial authorities to collect heads and other body parts of indigenous peoples such as Indigenous Australians and Māori for display in British museums. The repatriation of these body parts is current ongoing. For an example of a successful body part repatriation, see Yagan.
Somehow I don't think this would be the SPHR definition, do you?
I'm feeling crabby today. All three a/c units went out last night. Payroll has to go out today, so my assistant can't leave. I think maybe it would be rude for me to leave her here, so we are staying.
I created my own evap cooler (ritaanz knows what that is) by placing a glass of iced tea in front of my desk fan. It's blowing relatively cool air at me. I also brought in a big watermelon and cut it up for everyone to share.
My shoes are off, and several of us are threatening to strip down to our skivvies. The thermostat currently says 90, and it's supposed to be 113 outside today.
The a/c "fixit" guy is well aware of his precarious situation and is hard at work.
Skivvied or fully clothed, I'm sure this man does not want 14 raging women (and three henpecked men) coming after him.
glug glug glug
and so far so good but he is
keeping a close eye on the creek
behind his house! From famine to
feast...will at least there won't
be water rationing!
Good news, though... THE A/C IS BACK ON! Everyone can keep their clothes on.
I just took you for your word. I know it rains a lot in some areas.
Sounds like you had "movie rain." Rain that comes down not in drops but in SHEETS. I remember in NE that after a big rain there would be worms all over the place, and then a day later, there would be squashed, baked worms on the sidewalks and streets.
Edit: JINX, you owe me a diet Coke, Whirlwind.
Ray, she saw right through you.