HR Pro’s Goal for 2014: Read Books for HRCI Recertification Credit

As a certified professional, I try to challenge myself when it comes to recertification. Each year, instead of doing the same types of activities, I try to complete at least one activity in each section. And I try to find new ways to obtain recertification credits. This year, my goal is to use the new SHRMStore Credit-Approved Book program.

If you haven’t heard about it, the SHRMStore Credit-Approved Book program recognizes the amount of time that HR professionals spend reading to stay current with their profession. SHRMStore Manager Andrea Cale said they started talking with HRCI about the program after hearing that members can sometimes spend 10+ hours on a book. And let’s face it, that amount of time is comparable to other recertification activities that are already approved.

Stephanie Runyan, HR products manager at the HR Certification Institute explained how the program works.

Anyone who is certified can elect to participate in SHRMStore Credit-Approved Book program.  The approved books fall under the Continuing Education category on a certified professionals’ recertification application. 

A maximum of 20 credit hours can be earned by utilizing the program. This cap was put in place to ensure that individuals have a well-rounded recertification process and don’t only utilize one type of activity to fulfill their recertification requirements.

Once an approved book is read, the HR professional takes a 10-question quiz. If they receive 70% or higher score, then they receive 2.5 credit hours per book.

HRCI was receptive to the program as a way to add a new dynamic to the recertification process. It makes sense. Now, we can receive recertification credits using all three learning styles: auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning. Cale shared that certified human resources professionals have expressed a lot of excitement and interest in this program. You can check out the list of titles approved for credit here. Some of the most popular books include:

Aligning Human Resources and Business Strategy 2^nd Edition by Linda Holbeche

Becoming the Evidence-Based Manager by Gary P. Latham

Transformative HR: How Great Companies Use Evidence-Based Change for Sustainable Advantage by Boudreau and Jesuthasan

Proving the Value of HR: How and Why to Measure ROI by Jack J. Phillips

The SHRMStore Credit-Approved Book program was officially launched last year. As more people become familiar with the program and begin using it, SHRM hopes to track utilization and see how the program is impacting certified professionals.

Certified HR pros: let us know your thoughts! What do you think of reading for recertification credit?