PHR / SPHR Exam Preparation – 18 “Must Do” on Exam Day

Tick! Tac! Tick! Tac!  Three weeks more to go and the First Testing Window (Spring/Summer) will begin. Exam anxiety! It’s always there. You just can’t leave it behind. No matter how prepared you are in your PHR or SPHR exam, it will linger. In fact, it becomes your shadow and a nuisance to the max.

What would you do? If you are over prepared (is there anyone?), then you don’t have to worry about the butterflies in your stomach. For those who are catching-up with their exam preparation, you need to align these butterflies and let it out.

Here are some last- minute test-taking tips that might be of help in acing the PHR or SPHR exam. Do some of these if not all on your exam day, if you can.

1. Acclimatize yourself with the testing center. Know its location ahead of time. If it isn’t much, pay a visit to the testing center. You will get a feel of the atmosphere and you’ll have an idea on what to wear based on the existing temperature of the testing center. By doing so, you gain extra confidence. No formal dress please (though it’s not a bad idea to wear one, you are not attending an oath-taking or a party and it might call attention to other examinees—you would become a center of destruction).  Remember, you will stay there for say 5 hours so wear the most comfortable dress that you can.
2. Know beforehand the rules of the testing center. Say, ignorance of the law excuses no one!
3. Prepare your stuff the night or a day before the exam –what dress to wear, documents to bring that will include official ID and authority to take test letter from HRCI, and food and water if you want. You will be provided with a safety locker where you can put your stuff. And yes, you can have a short break during the exam—can go to washroom and locker room. If you are allowed to eat there –go grab your food and eat for a while. At least you regain energy and strength. By the time you will come back, your mind is clear again ready for the remaining parts of the test.
4. Take a good sleep and relax your mind and body. It’s badly needed. Since sleeping time has its pattern, try to establish one that will fit in with your test schedule a week before your exam.
5. Be on time at the testing center say an hour ahead of the schedule. That way, you can relax yourself a bit. It’s a no-no to be late. No traffic, no emergencies (if possible), no anything.
6. Prometric testing centers provide tutorial prior to beginning the exam. Please take your time and practice until you are comfortable with answering the questions. You can always ask the assistance of the proctor. The time you consume here is not counted.
7. You are also provided with a white board where you can jot down notes or make simple calculations. Please use it.
8. Now that you are ready to start the test, read the instructions carefully. This is the most overlooked part of the exam. Others have tendencies to rush. No need. This is just like the art of painting, master every stroke and detail.
9. Trust your first impression. Of the four choices provided, there’s absolutely one correct answer. Most of the time your first choice is the correct answer.
10. Avoid over-analyzing the question. If you feel like there are 2 possible answers, just mark it for review and return to it later. Apply what you have learned in the tutorial lesson—you can highlight or cross out the distractors. That way, you can save time.
11. When analyzing the question—don’t base it on your specific company policies and procedures or individual experience. Most of the time it is wrong. Think of it in terms of generally accepted HR practices.
12. Don’t look for answer patterns.  If there is, you’ll not be surprised on HRCI’s passing rate. Look at the passing rate in my previous post (A Closer Look at the PHR SPHR Exam), you can conclude that answer patterns do not exist at all in the exam.  The test questions are well-studied and tested thereby leaving no clue for answer patterns. Don’t believe that the longest choice is the correct answer or “C” is the common correct answer.
13. If you are uncertain, don’t waste your time; mark it for review later and move on to the next number.
14. You may encounter questions that might have two correct answers. Technically speaking, it might be true however, it was designed that way to assess your knowledge. You might want to apply- the first evil is the lesser evil. Of course, it will be up to you and not up to me—joke! Seriously speaking, weigh the 2 remaining choices and make an educated guess.
15. Remove the obvious distractors and select the best answer from the remaining two choices. You may want to apply number 14.
16. Identify the answer before reading the choices. Sometimes low hanging apple is there. Hurry, pick it up.
17. There are questions that can blow your confidence—like a total stranger coming your way. If you encounter one, be calm and compose, make your guess and move on. No amount of over-analyzing can save you.
18. Review your answers and don’t rush. Who cares if you are the last person to leave the testing room?  Remember, passing the exam can impact your future or career.

And lastly, say your mantra or whatever (if you have one) and close your eyes. In a few seconds or minutes you will receive the unofficial results of your exam. It is a piece of paper, in there you can see if you pass or fail in the exam. The detailed result or the official result of your exam will be sent to you through postal mail.

Pass or fail? I prefer that you get the former and celebrate it with a bang. If you get the latter, feel bad about it for a moment and let it pass as soon as you can. Think of the things that you have gained and learned in the review prep process plus the traumatic or sad experience and use it as your inspiration in your future endeavor. Let it be a burning light that will guide you until you succeed. As the saying goes, there’s always a first and a last chance and in the PHR or SPHR exam the last chance is permanently there.