Talent Acquisition
19%of exam
JobsSourcingSelectionInterviewingOnboarding
Learning + Retention
15%of exam
Compensation + Benefits
17%of exam
Employee Relations
24%of exam
PerformanceDisciplineCommunicationCultureGrievances
Compliance + Risk
25%of exam
LawSafetyPrivacyInvestigationsPolicy
Quick Facts
- Credential
- aPHR
- Issuer
- HRCI
- Level
- Entry level
- Experience
- Not required
- Questions
- 90 total
- Time
- 1h 45m
- Pass
- 500 scaled
Hiring Flow
Analyze, source, screen, select, onboard.
AnalyzeSourceScreenSelectOnboard
Description vs Specification
Description
- Job duties
- Role summary
Specification
- Worker qualifications
- KSA list
Duties versus requirements
Hiring Picker
- Role unclear→Job analysis
- Duties needed→Job description
- Qualifications needed→Job specification
- Pipeline thin→Sourcing plan
- Candidates screened→Structured interview
- Finalist chosen→Selection criteria
- Offer accepted→Onboarding plan
- Skill gap appears→Training plan
Job Analysis
- Job analysis
- Study work
- Job description
- Duties summary
- Job specification
- KSA requirements
- Essential function
- Core job duty
- Competency
- Observable capability
- Workforce plan
- Staffing forecast
- Headcount
- Employee count
Recruitment vs Selection
Recruitment
- Attract applicants
- Build pool
Selection
- Choose candidate
- Use criteria
Attract then choose
Recruiting + Selection
- Recruitment
- Attract candidates
- Sourcing
- Find candidates
- Screening
- Initial fit check
- Structured interview
- Consistent questions
- Behavioral question
- Past behavior evidence
- Selection
- Choose best fit
- Onboarding
- Integrate employee
ADDIE
Analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate.
AnalyzeDesignDevelopImplementEvaluate
Coaching vs Mentoring
Coaching
- Performance focused
- Shorter term
Mentoring
- Career focused
- Relationship based
Match development need
Learning Development
- Needs analysis
- Find skill gaps
- ADDIE
- Training design model
- Orientation
- Initial introduction
- Training
- Build job skills
- Coaching
- Performance focused
- Mentoring
- Career focused
- Kirkpatrick
- Evaluate training
Base vs Variable
Base pay
- Fixed wages
- Predictable cost
Variable pay
- Performance linked
- Changes with results
Know pay purpose
Compensation
- Total rewards
- Pay plus value
- Base pay
- Fixed compensation
- Variable pay
- Performance linked
- Pay grade
- Grouped jobs
- Pay range
- Minimum midpoint maximum
- Pay equity
- Fair job pay
- Payroll
- Process wages
Benefits
- Benefits
- Indirect compensation
- Eligibility
- Who qualifies
- Enrollment
- Benefit election
- Deductible
- Employee pays first
- HSA
- Tax advantaged account
- FSA
- Pretax spending account
- 401k
- Retirement savings
SMART
Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound.
SpecificMeasurableAchievableRelevantTime-bound
Issue Picker
- Expectation unclear→Set SMART goal
- Skill missing→Coach employee
- Conduct issue→Document facts
- Policy violation→Apply policy
- Complaint filed→Investigate promptly
- Safety risk→Escalate immediately
- Legal issue→Consult HR leadership
- Data involved→Protect privacy
Employee Relations
- Performance
- Results against goals
- SMART goal
- Clear measurable target
- Feedback
- Performance guidance
- Engagement
- Work commitment
- Discipline
- Correct behavior
- Grievance
- Formal complaint
- Culture
- Shared norms
Exempt vs Nonexempt
Exempt
- No overtime
- Duties test
Nonexempt
- Overtime eligible
- Track hours
Classify carefully
Exam Basics
- aPHR
- Entry HR credential
- Eligibility
- No HR experience
- Scored
- 65 questions
- Pretest
- 25 questions
- Time
- 105 minutes
- Scale
- 100 to 700
- Pass
- 500 scaled
Compliance + Risk
- FLSA
- Wage hour law
- Exempt
- No overtime
- Nonexempt
- Overtime eligible
- EEO
- Equal opportunity
- Harassment
- Prohibited conduct
- OSHA
- Workplace safety
- Privacy
- Protect employee data
Common Traps
Experience Assumption
aPHR entry level ≠ No HR experience
Job Document Mixup
Description lists duties ≠ Specification lists KSAs
Interview Fairness
Use consistent questions ≠ Use job criteria
FLSA Classification
Duties matter ≠ Track nonexempt time
Complaint Handling
Document facts ≠ Escalate serious risks
Last Minute
- 1.Review domain weights
- 2.Separate hiring steps
- 3.Memorize ADDIE
- 4.Memorize SMART
- 5.Compare pay types
- 6.Check FLSA classes
- 7.Document employee issues
- 8.Protect employee privacy
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