The landscape of recruiting and sourcing is ever-changing. Where there used to be calm oceans a few years back, sky-high mountains loom today. This makes it really important for you to stay at the top of your game and there are some excellent recruiting certifications out there that can help you do exactly that.

That being said, recruiting is a profession of practice. No book and no course can make you a top-grade Recruiter. You become a great recruiter by putting in everything you’ve got day after day for years. However, there are resources out there that can make this journey easier for you. Additional training materials and effective replenishment of your knowledge will definitely help you stand out from the competition.

What is a Recruiting Certification?

There are many kinds of recruiting certifications, the most ubiquitous being HRCI(HR Certification Institute) and SHRM(Society for Human Resource Management). In the same way that having a professional certification is required for people who want to be considered financial advisors, having recruiting certifications is one of the requirements for anyone who wants to be called a recruiter. It is a valuable addition to your work experience and helps you learn new trends and stay updated with current techniques.

Benefits of getting trained and recruiting certifications

Recruitment and sourcing certifications equip you with an edge over others in an industry that is evolving quickly. We compiled a list of great training programs and recruiting certifications so that you don’t have to! Bear in mind that different human resource educations have different time and experience requirements, so pay careful attention to what you are eligible for. Besides courses, it can also be educational materials on Studocu learning resources.

Here are the top 10+ Recruiting Certifications for Recruiters 2024 –

1. HR Certification Institute (HRCI)

The HR Certification Institute is a prestigious certification institute. With a track record of 40 years, HRCI alumni line up the Fortune 500 senior leadership ranks. There are some clear benefits to getting certified by HRCI. The prominent ones are career advancement and a measure of competency that makes it easier for others to trust your skills.

HRCI offers a multitude of recruiting certifications and courses varying in your experience level as well as geographical focus.

List of courses offered by HRCI

1.1 Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR)

This recruiting certification is tailored for those beginning their career in Human Resources and provides professionals with a solid foundation to start their career in the field.

Cost: The exam fee is $300 and the application fee is $100

Where: It is a computer-based exam at a Pearson VUE testing center

Eligibility: To be eligible for the aPHR you must have an HS diploma or global equivalent. No HR experience is required.

1.2 Professional in Human Resources (PHR)

The PHR is great for people already working in HR and planning to do so long term. The exam focuses more on the tactical, practical aspects of HR and less on business strategy and management. If you’re looking to stay in HR for the next 5 years, then the PHR course is the best match for you. If you intend to expand to other areas of the business or if you have an inclination towards designing HR policy or influencing business strategy, the SPHR might be a better match for you.

Cost: The cost of the exam is $395 and the Application Fee is $100

Where: It is a computer-based exam at a Pearson VUE testing center

Eligibility: The PHR certificate eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Have at least one year of experience in HR and at least a Master’s degree
• Have at least two years of experience and a Bachelor’s
• Have at least four years of experience and an HS diploma
  
  

1.3 Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)

The SPHR recruiting certification is designed for planners and policy-makers looking to solidify their credibility as HR leaders.

Cost: The exam fee is $495 and the Application Fee is $100

Where: It is a computer-based exam at a Pearson VUE testing center

Eligibility: The PHR certificate eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Have at least four years of experience in HR + a Master’s degree or higher
• Have at least five years of experience as an HR professional + a Bachelor’s Degree OR seven years of experience + an HS diploma

The above are the three most popular courses. The other courses offered are as follows:

• PHR (Professional in Human Resources)- The PHR certification adds great credibility to your presence in the HR field.
• PHRca (Professional in Human Resources – California)- the PHRca certification establishes that you are an HR professional who has mastered the laws, regulations, and HR management practices unique to the state of California.
•  GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources)- GPHR certification validates your expertise in cross-border HR.
•  PHRi (Professional in Human Resources – International)- This is tailored for those beginning their career in HR internationally.
•  SPHRi (Senior Professional in Human Resources – International)- This is tailored for senior professionals looking to get certified Independent of geographic region, the credential complements local HR practices.

Check out our guide for recruiters for video interviewing.

2. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is one of the world’s largest human resource societies which comprises 3,00,000 professionals across 165 countries. They have been researching and setting HR practice standards for over 7 decades now.  

SHRM offers courses at two levels:

• SHRM-CP (Certified Professional)– This certification is ideal for early and mid-career HR candidates.
• SHRM-SCP (Senior Certified Professional)- This certification is ideal for senior-level HR candidates.

This is a great choice for those who have been in this field for quite some time. If you have 6-8 years of experience and are at the director level or higher, this course will equip you with skills to take up the ownership to drive the overall business direction.

If you are considering an MBA course, the SHRM is one alternative that you can think of. While MBA focuses on a large spectrum of business functions, SHRM courses focus exclusively on talent operations. So if you intend to switch careers in the future, then you might want to think twice before committing to the SHRM.

Eligibility: The SHRM-CP certificate eligibility criteria are as follows:

•           Hold a current HR role and have at least a Master’s degree
•           Have at least one year of experience in HR and at least a Bachelor’s
•           Have at least three years of experience and a high school diploma

Where: It is an online exam and has a learning system equipped with lots of notes and other explanatory videos for self-study.

Cost: The charges vary from a member to a non-member between $630 to $830.

If you take the membership, you get a free annual membership to the Learning System.

Check out our guide for recruiting best practices to hire top talent.

3. AIRS

AIRS is one of the global leaders in recruitment training and offers 8 accredited and industry-recognized courses that are packed with innovative approaches and the latest recruitment and sourcing strategies. They offer both training courses as well as recruiting and sourcing certifications for various aspects of internet recruitment.

Some of the courses are listed below:

Recruiter Academy

This is a year-long training program that includes unlimited access to all AIRS courses, including AIRS Certification courses and associated exams, as well as exclusive access to the AIRS High Impact Learning Series.

Cost: $2,995

• Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR)– This one is for those looking to demonstrate internet sourcing knowledge amongst leading corporations.
• Advanced Certified Internet Recruiter (ACIR) – This one is for advanced-level sourcing professionals.
• Certified Diversity Recruiter (CDR)– Equips you with a variety of tools and resources that can be added to any sourcing strategy
• Certified Social Sourcing Recruiter (CSSR)-  This course is for those looking for expertise in social media recruitment.
• Certified Social Media Recruiter (CSMR)- This course is for those who want to learn how to quickly and effectively locate user profiles and gather competitive intelligence.
• Professional Recruiter Certification (PRC)- takes you step-by-step through every aspect of recruiting including requisition evaluation, implementing Recruiting Agreements with hiring managers and clients, leveraging tools for pipelining candidates, preparing for cold calls, effective contracting, and negotiating methodologies, and then implementing and executing a successful interview process.

Cost: $995 for each certification.

Eligibility: Anybody in the recruitment industry with basic to intermediate-level skills.

Where: The training courses are available both online and on-site.

4. National Association Of Personnel Services (NAPS)

The National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) is a membership-based recruiting organization, however, you may take the exam even if you are a non-member for a higher cost. The association offers two recruiter certification programs, Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and Certified Temporary Staffing-Specialist (CTS). Each program includes a manual, examination, and certification.

The Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) credential is a comprehensive recruitment and staffing industry certification. Interested candidates must demonstrate a broad knowledge of legal understanding of employment in the U.S. The CPC certification confirms that the candidate has a clear understanding of the laws that govern the employment relationship in the US.

The Certified Temporary Staffing Specialist (CTS) is a comprehensive recruiting and staffing industry certification focused on the work of temporary staffing professionals. The course addresses contemporary laws of discrimination, protocols for the identification, selection, and placement of candidates for employment, as well as the responsibilities that temporary staffing professionals must uphold throughout the employment transition process.

Cost: The certification costs differ for members and non-members. For members, it’s $350 and for non-members, it’s $550. The cost includes the study manual and exam fee.

Eligibility: You must be currently employed in the HR and recruitment industry to get this recruiting certification. It’s not for absolute beginners.

Where: There is an online as well as an offline option. There is also a preparation module available.

5. DevSkiller

“The DevSkiller Tech Recruitment Certification Course is a free training course covering the fundamentals of IT recruitment. The course is packed with up-to-date information about the developer landscape, findings of industry reports, and intel on the IT recruitment process. It also comprises tried and true industry practices, so you can turn knowledge into action and utilize effective tools designed to boost your HR metrics.”

Check out our guide to recruiting software developers in 2024

6. Social Talent

Social Talent is one of our favorites! Apart from running one of the biggest recruiting blogs in the world, Social Talent has some awesome courses. There are two very compelling reasons that make Social talent stand apart.

1. Focus on practical aspects: Social talent courses are full of anecdotes and practical practices. Its courses teach you to think objectively and give you a mental model to deal with various challenges you will face in your careers as a recruiter and sourcer.
2. Bite-sized course: Social talent courses are on-demand and bite-sized. It fits your schedule perfectly and is delivered completely online with a beautiful way to track progress and accomplishment.

The course levels are organized in the Ninja format(One more reason to love them!)

• Orange Belt
• Blue Belt
• Brown Belt
• Black Belt

Their course is comprehensive with expert trainers and customized for populations of various sizes. They focus on in-depth internet recruitment skills and innovative strategies. They assure to train you to be able to find niche talent on the internet and how to manage your talent pipeline more effectively.

Cost: Depends on your size and course taken. Talk to their sales team on their website for cost information.

Eligibility: Anyone can take these courses. Best suited for rookie and intermediate-level recruiters and sourcers.

Where: Online

Check out 10+ Unconventional Recruitment Methods Top Recruiters Use

7. People Sourcing Certification Program

The Certified People Sourcing Professional credential (CPSP) is the international industry standard for demonstrating proficiency in Sourcing. It is a 60-question exam and the credentials remain valid for two years from the date of issue of your certificate. If you wish to renew your sourcing certification, you have to appear for the exam again. It does not require any continuing education credit. To help you prepare for the exam, there are live sourcing sessions and a training library with lots of preparation material.

Cost: It costs $199 to appear for the exam and is free for those who have subscribed to the training library.

Eligibility: Anybody interested in and working in the sourcing industry with basic to intermediate-level skills.

Where: It is an online test and the training subscription is also through the online medium.

8. LinkedIn Certified Professional – Recruiter

LinkedIn Recruiter Certification validates your skills in finding, engaging, and managing talent effectively and demonstrates your proficiency in LinkedIn Recruiter. This will help you become a trusted advisor in your network and to your business partners. You can prepare for the exam with the help of materials from the Talent Solutions Learning Center.

Cost: The fee for the exam is $199.

Eligibility: Anybody interested in internet recruitment with basic to intermediate level skills.

Where: There is an online as well as an on-site option available for the exam.

9. LinkedIn learning courses

Linkedin Learning offers several online courses taught by industry professionals. The platform offers courses that cover a wide range of topics and experience levels- right from recruiting foundations and talent sourcing to more advanced topics of branding and strategy execution. 

Here are some of the recruiting certifications offered: 

Become a Technical Recruiter: This short course offers essential knowledge on how to source and screen candidates and fill some of the most in-demand roles in tech.

Become a corporate recruiter: This course covers all the fundamentals of corporate recruiting right from sourcing, screening, and interviewing to finally onboarding candidates. 

Become an external recruiter: Get on your way to becoming an external or “independent” recruiter with this course that covers the essentials of talent sourcing, social recruiting, interviewing, and attracting diverse and Gen Z candidates. 

Cost:  You can buy an individual membership for $29.99 per month or $299.88 for the whole year. You can also opt for a 1-month free trial before you commit.

Check out our guide – How to post jobs on LinkedIn for free here.

10. The Digital Headhunter Program

This course helps independent recruiters and search firms build sales and marketing machines that not only compete but dominate in a “Red Ocean” environment while helping them stay extremely profitable and cash-flow efficient in the process by:

• Building a scalable prospecting machine to ratchet up upfront lead-gen
• Retooling offers to justify higher fees
• Laying down an air-tight sales process so leads stop falling through the cracks
• Creating a social media, email, and LinkedIn marketing ecosystem to keep top of mind

They have produced results for over 350 Rockstar Search Firms on six continents, and have three main offers:

• Growth Accelerator: A 1-year ‘Done-With-You’ coaching program
• Tactical: A ‘Done-For-You’ lead-generation service
• Lighthouse Mentorship: A private strategy mastermind program

Cost: The investment required depends on the client, and it is required that you go through a demo first. If you are interested in implementing a high-octane sales + marketing system in their business, go to: https://thedigitalheadhunter.com/ and click on ‘Get a Price,’ or simply go to: https://thedigitalheadhunter.com/assessment/

Who is it for? Independent recruiters and search firms of up to 20 recruiters