How to Start HR Certification With No Experience: aPHR and SHRM-CP

You have two honest starting points

If you have no HR experience, do not start with the PHR, SPHR, or SHRM-SCP. You are unlikely to meet their experience requirements, and studying for an exam you cannot sit for yet wastes time.

The two credentials designed for this stage are:

• aPHR, from HRCI, for people starting an HR career. No HR experience required, and no degree required beyond a high school diploma or equivalent.
• SHRM-CP, from SHRM, for people performing general HR or HR-related duties, students in HR programs, and people pursuing an HR career. No HR title, degree, or previous HR experience is required to apply, though SHRM recommends a basic working knowledge of HR practices and principles.

aPHR vs SHRM-CP: how they differ

The difference is body and focus, not difficulty ranking. The aPHR is HRCI’s knowledge-based entry credential. The SHRM-CP is SHRM’s operational credential, built around applying HR knowledge in day-to-day situations, including situational judgment items.

Practical differences to check before choosing:

• Which body do employers in your target market ask for? Job postings in your area will tell you faster than any guide.
• Which exam format suits you? The aPHR is reported as 90 questions, 65 scored and 25 unscored pretest, in 1 hour 45 minutes plus administration time. The SHRM-CP is reported as 134 questions, including unscored field-test items, in 3 hours 40 minutes.
• What will you do next? Both credentials are stepping stones. The aPHR leads naturally toward the PHR once you have professional-level experience. The SHRM-CP leads toward the SHRM-SCP once you have strategic-level experience, and SHRM-CP holders have a specific pathway to the senior credential after three years.

Exam fees change, so verify the current fees on hrci.org and shrm.org before you apply. For a summary of the current fees and exam details in one place, see HRCP’s certification comparison page.

A simple study plan for a beginner

1. Pick one credential and confirm you meet its requirements on the official site. Do not study for two exams at once.
2. Work through a structured prep program in order, not by jumping to practice exams first. Practice exams measure readiness; they do not teach the material.
3. Use flashcards for terms and definitions, which is where beginners lose the most points, then timed practice exams to build exam stamina.
4. Schedule the exam only after timed practice scores are consistently passing, not after finishing the reading once.

What not to do

Do not buy senior-level prep for a senior exam you are not eligible for, do not trust any program that promises you will pass, and do not assume a certificate from a course is the same as a certification from HRCI or SHRM. Courses issue completions; HRCI and SHRM issue credentials, and only after you pass their exams.