Certification is based on the voluntary action on the part of an occupational or professional group (such as SHRM) to institute a system by which it can grant recognition to those practitioners who have met some stated level of training and experience. Certifications serve to define what an individual needs to know in order to be an acknowledged “expert” in that field.

The Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) is the HR credentialing organization founded by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). HRCI works to define the HR body of knowledge and assesses candidates on their mastery of that body of knowledge. HRCI certifies that the individual has met with distinction the high standards of education and experience, and has demonstrated knowledge established by the institute.

There are three levels of certification, the Professional in Human Resources (PHR), the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and the Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR). As of March 31, 2008, the total number of certified HR professionals was 92,783; with Wisconsin certified professionals totaling 2405.

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