Well, I did it … I successfully passed the SPHR exam on my first attempt! I still can’t believe I did it, but I did.

As I said in my last post, I felt a lot of pressure and anxiety heading in to the exam. And it was my sincerest hope I would come out of the exam with some kind of insight I could share with others on what to do or study or focus on to increase their chances of success on the exam.

Sorry. I got nothing … But I will share what I think worked in my favor.

• Tell people about it … I know my family, friends and followers got sick of my posts. However, it was important for people to know what I was working on. The encouragement kept me going when I felt like slacking. And all the eyes on me made me feel more pressure to pass — although I always knew it could go either way … Sharing keeps you accountable.
• Know how much time you have, how you learn and plan accordingly … I know how I learn best and what turns me off. I knew my life couldn’t stop completely for studying. I knew my time and money for study resources were limited. All this came into play as I created and worked my plan … Be prepared to schedule and commit to a program that works for your life and learning style.
• Wait as long as possible to take the test … I took my test on the last possible day at the last possible time slot for the 2013 year. Although it was hard to watch and wait as others finished before me, I was able to benefit from their suggestions and advice … Glean as much as you can from the experience of others.

Otherwise, my advice is pretty much the same as what’s already out there — Study and study and study some more. Then study a lot. Then study again … But even with all that studying, passing or failing is still a coin-toss. And you still will feel like you are failing for the entire duration of the 3 hour exam.

I wish nothing but success and luck to everyone preparing for the Spring/Summer 2014 exams. I am happy to pass along the names of the study materials I used — if you’re close enough, I will give my materials to you!

Cuz I’m never going to need that stuff again! No way I want to retake that test so I will pursue my recertification credits like a woman possessed.

I am forever certifiably SPHR certified.