It's one thing to prepare for your HRCI or SHRM certification exam(s). However, there should be a larger strategy to retaining, absorbing, and applying all that information. Here are five things to consider that can help with study and preparation.

#1 - Accountability and scheduling.

Having a program as opposed to a single deadline can help keep you on schedule, especially when your time to study is limited to nights, weekends, or your lunch hour. Programs like the SHRM Learning system break your studying down into manageable bites with multiple deadlines, setting you up with a series of accomplishment milestones as opposed to a singular finish date. This helps to ensure you have absorbed each section of exam prep as an item you can check off of a list, and holds you accountable for the deadline for each section.

#2 - Make time for your studying, as it should be a priority.

Your job, especially if you’re already working in human resources at any level, tends to consume a large percentage of your time. If you’re looking into SHRM and/or HRCI Certification, it means you’re also looking for ways to be more efficient with your time and better at your job. Like any type of training, in order to accomplish the goal, sometimes you have to put some projects on hold or prioritize tasks differently so you have time to study. Setting aside blocks of time and treating them as appointments you must keep can help move you forward in the learning process.

#3 - Studying regularly and over time on a consistent basis.

Consistency is key to retaining the information you learn. By studying regularly and having a roadmap to follow, you can ensure you remember the information you studied in week one as well as you remember what you studied this week. A learning roadmap gives you a solid foundation to build on, and each block of new information builds on what you previously learned, with real-world examples and thoughtful solutions to situational questions.

#4 - A community of support is also critical.

Having a method of communicating with like-minded people who are at a similar stage in their human resources career and can commiserate or share information about their study process can help keep you motivated. You’re not out there on your own and you’re not the only person who is struggling to keep up with a study workload along with a full-time job and family. Like a virtual classroom, an online community of people who are also studying for their SHRM or HRCI Certification can be the support you need to keep up with your study schedule and a cheering section when it comes time to take your exam.

#5 - Adapting study to your specific learning style.

There are seven types, and you may fall under more than one. It’s important to know how you learn in order to absorb information in the most efficient way.