For the more than 108,000 certified human resource professionals, maintaining their Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) certification may have gotten a little easier.  Earlier today, HRCI announced that the organization has updated their recertification policy allowing HR professionals the opportunity to receive up to 2 credits per year for HR related and fact-based blog posts.

According to Cornelia Springer, director of Products and Services for the Institute, an Institute-led task force of HR professionals provided input about how social media and blogs are being used as sources of information and education about the HR profession.

“There is a small, core group of HR professionals who already are writing educational blogs on a regular basis, but we felt that this trend would grow and wanted to ensure that we are prepared for it,” said Springer. “Our new policy is specific to fact-based blog posts that are on sites open to the general public, and is a step in the right direction as more and more HR professionals take advantage of the web to help one another through educational and thoughtful blog writing.

To receive recertification credit, HR professionals who submit their blog content must have the following:

• Credit is awarded under Research and Publishing Category
• Blog posts must be 700 words or more on a subject related to the HR knowledge base.
• Posts must contain facts/data and not be an editorial or opinion piece.
• Each post will be worth .50 recertification credits, and a certified HR professional can receive a maximum of two hours per year / six hours total during a three-year recertification period.
• Blogs must be posted on a site that is open to the public, whether it is the writer’s blog or as a guest blog post for another site, such as SHRM Connect.
• Links must be provided to posts in the submission

HRCI seems to be very open to certified human resource professionals receiving credit for non-traditional types of content including podcasts, Blog Talk Radio shows, and even YouTube videos.  Requesting for recertification credits in these areas does not require a change in the organization's policy.  Certified professionals would submit videos, podcasts, and BTR shows under the research and publishing categories.

HR bloggers speculated online earlier this year as word spread about the HRIC's proposed change in the recertification policy.  HR bloggers including Kris Dunn who writes at the HR Capitalist and Fistful of Talent.  Dunn's post, "My Strategic Guidance for SHRM - Have a Take x2," criticized HRCI for their focus on "fact-based posts."

Dunn says, "But, by putting the restriction of "fact-based blog posts", they've shown one of two things related to what it takes to be an HR leader in the field: A. They don't understand that HR leaders get paid to take the facts they're referring to and B. They can't get their head around allowing that behavior to be credited in the certification process, which is a cultural, risk-adverse position."

One of the bright sides to the new blogger recertification credits is the ability to receive Strategic, Global, or General recertification credits for your blog post submissions.   Unfortunately, HRCI failed to mention this in today's announcement.  An HRCI staffer tells Blogging4Jobs that HR professionals that are SPHR or GPHR certified can designate the blogger recertification credits as Strategic or Global.

Other HR bloggers like John Jorgeson, HR Consultant and SHRM Volunteer who anticipates using the recertification credits to recertificy for his SPHR designation have other hesitations.  Jorgenson says, "I'm looking forward to taking advantage of the recertification option for HR bloggers especially for the 6 "Strategic" recertification credits.  Seven hundred words, however, is a very long for a blog post."

The recognition of blogging seems to be a step in the right direction for both the human resource profession, the largest HR professional organization, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and HRCI.  And is also an indication of how the view of  the traditional forms of news, media, and publications have changed.

Do you agree with HRCI's blog credit announcement?  What would you like to see added or changed?

Jessica Miller-Merrell is known as @blogging4jobs.  She is an Internet television host, author, speaker, new media strategist and human resources consultant at Blogging4Jobs.com.  She hosts the first and only Internet webshow for job seekers on Mingle Media TV called Job Search Secrets. Her book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business was released in 2010.

Photo Credit Cafepress.