By Beth Harris, CHRP

Did you know that more than 220 BC HRMA members achieved their Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation in 2012?  As always, BC HRMA is recognizing the new CHRPs with regional celebratory events, but the truest testament of the CHRP’s worth is best heard directly from source.

In advance of Vancouver Island’s ‘Celebrating Success – CHRP Recognition Breakfast’ on February 15, 2013, we invited three CHRPs, including keynote speaker Nicole Villeneauve, to share their insights in the Q&As below.

Congratulations to the CHRPs of 2012!

Nicole Villeneuve, CHRP
Services Team Leader, Mountain Equipment Co-op

Brief career overview:
I have been with MEC for most of my career and I have held a variety of positions that have helped me further develop my business acumen and grow my leadership skills.

Date of CHRP designation:
November 2009.

Reason for getting the CHRP designation:
The reason I chose to get my designation was to benchmark my skills against one of the profession’s standards.

What have been the benefits of getting the CHRP?
Industry recognition: the CHRP is a well-recognized certification across Canada. The certification process requires you to stay up-to-date on industry trends, changes and challenges. I am constantly learning and I bring this learning to my role, applying it where it best benefits my work, and the organization as a whole.

Finally, I would say the professional network that you gain is truly invaluable. The BC HRMA professional mentoring program for example is a very effective skill-building program for participants of all HR levels.

How has the CHRP helped your career?
It has helped me benchmark my current skill set against an industry standard and help me further navigate my learning path in the HR field. HR is a vibrant, ever-evolving industry, and I love the challenge of putting theory into practice. Too, they say a picture speaks a thousand words, well, so do these four letters: CHRP.

What advice would you give the people writing the exams?
Believe in yourself. Set your mind to this goal and build a plan that will help you get achieve it.

Favorite moment on the path to the CHRP?
Shortly after achieving my CHRP designation, I was invited by Jolie Wist,  a BC HRMA advisory council member, to lead what we call Meet and Greet exam writers sessions. I was very honored to be become part of the support network that helps participants on their CHRP path. That was four years ago and I am happy to say I am still involved in this successful endeavor. Helping others, even in small way, is very enriching.

Jenny Reid, CHRP
HR Advisor, League Financial Partners

Brief career overview:
In 2010 I completed my education at Camosun College with the Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management and a BBA in Human Resource Management and Leadership. I completed a work term at HP Advanced Solutions and stayed there for three years. I recently moved to work at League Financial Partners as an HR advisor.

Date of CHRP designation:
July 2012.

Reason for getting the CHRP designation:
Human Resources is becoming a more recognized area in the business world and I believe getting the CHRP will help me on my career path. As many more students complete HR programs and enter the workforce, the competition will be significant. Having the CHRP designation and the work experience will give me that edge that will be needed in a highly-competitive workforce.

What advice would you give the people writing the exams?
Do not underestimate the exam. There are so many questions that you won’t anticipate so study early and study often.  I would definitely recommend the various prep courses and study groups that are available as well.  Learning in a variety of ways will ensure that the greatest amount of knowledge is retained.

What do you believe the benefits are of getting the CHRP?
Getting the CHRP has given me confidence, shows that my HR knowledge is current and gives me a competitive advantage for my HR career. 

Favorite moment on the path to the CHRP?
Going shopping for a new business outfit when I found out I passed!

Shannon Kleibl, CHRP
Manager of Human Resources and Occupational Health & Safety with the City of Parksville

Brief career overview :
My career started in Social Services. I obtained my Social Services Certificate and then Human Services Diploma from Malaspina University-College (now Vancouver Island University). My real passion for Human Resources began when I was given an opportunity to fill in for a temporary sick/maternity leave for the Human Resources advisor of the Regional District of Nanaimo.  To continue in the field, I knew that I needed to obtain my degree so I went back and finished my degree in Sociology and Business Management with a focus on Human Resources. My HR experience progressed in the non-profit sector as an HR advisor (generalist) for the Salvation Army, to the private sector as the HR administrator with Coastal Community Credit Union (looking after benefit administration) and then to the public sector as an HR assistant for the City of Nanaimo and City of Parksville. In a short period of time I was promoted to the manager of Human Resources with the City of Parksville and then took on the additional role of managing Occupational Health & Safety.

Date of CHRP designation:
July 2012.

Reason for getting the CHRP?
I wanted to demonstrate credibility in my career and for me this meant obtaining my degree and then gaining experience prior to taking the steps on the formal path to  obtaining the CHRP designation. I wanted to be a valued professional and to demonstrate this with proof of expertise through achieving the highest standards of recognition, the CHRP.

What advice would you give people preparing for the NKE exam?
Give yourself time to prepare, know your own learning style, but also push yourself to utilize all the tools that are offered – prep courses, online tools and study groups.  Don’t limit yourself to just one method of learning. The best experiences come from the unexpected and you take away so much more than just ‘passing’ the exam. 

Favourite moment on the path to getting your CHRP?
The support and encouragement from my family and my organization was a huge part of the path to obtaining my CHRP. Also, being part of a study group for the NPPA – learning from one another’s strengths and our varied experiences and being able to support one another through the process of achieving success together. 

Interested in earning the CHRP designation? Find out more about the designation. Registration for the NKE and NPPA exams is April 2, 2013.