The PHR is notoriously hard. In 2019, the pass rate was just 69%. Because the exam certifies the competency of a modern practitioner of human resources, which is a complex profession, it’s safe to say that the rigor is a feature, not a flaw.

There’s no such thing as a full-time PHR preparation course. Aspiring PHR certificants can’t just pull themselves out of the workforce for a few weeks or months to devote themselves to study. If they want to prepare for a PHR certification, they’ll have to make time to do so in-between meeting the demands of their full-time jobs and answering the responsibilities of their full-time lives.