PHR/SPHR: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide

Anne Bogardus' book is not intended to be nor does it pretend to be a complete reference book for the entire body of HR knowledge. It is an excellent study guide and it provides references for the student to use for additional study in each of the six functional areas, should the results of the study guide's exams (three overall assessments plus one exam for each functional area) indicate that more work is needed before taking the certification exam.


It's all you'll need!   May 6, 2005
R. Wood (Fort Worth)
24 out of 26 found this review helpful

I passed the PHR exam on the first try with the help of this book. No study groups, no paid crash courses, no help from my neighbor, just this book! The CDs that come with this book are excellent, it includes flashcards and practice tests. Take them over and over, it represented the actual test questions well. Since I have minimal experience in this field, I am convinced that anyone can pass the PHR exam if they spend a little time snuggled up with this book.


Passed using only this book   January 14, 2005
Michael (Washington DC)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

I took the PHR exam today and passed on my first try. The only source of information I used was this study guide. Many of the questions on the exam read exactly like the review questions from the book. I highly recommend using this guide over some of the more expensive options.


Worked like a charm   July 1, 2007
Golfing in Sunny CA
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

I just passed the PHR a few days ago, and I owe it all to this study guide. My HR experience is somewhat limited in scope, and this book filled in all the gaps. I plan to keep this book and continue to use it as a reference guide for things that come up in the workplace.

I read and studied from this book for about 2 weeks. The great thing is that this edition of the book has a CD with a full pdf version of the entire book, as well as electronic flashcards. When it was not convenient to read the book, I could read it on the computer or my PDA. Each section has practice tests and review sections, and the author knows her stuff - all of the material and special highlights are very relevant to the exam.

If you're limited on time, I don't recommend skimming. Rather, I suggest a focus on reading the one or two sections where you need the most work.

I recently read that the pass rate for the PHR is something like 2/3 or 66%. I think that if everyone used this guide, that number would go up dramatically.