Pass the CHRP/CHRL Employment Law Exam: A Three-Step Strategy

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Writing a multiple-choice exam is more challenging than most people think, particularly when you face hundreds of questions, limited time to answer them in, and have the added pressure of it being a licensing exam. But there is an effective strategy to get you through the CHRP/CHRL Employment Law Exam; that strategy is based upon preparation, planning, and practice. These three strategies for success have been formulated based on years of experience in helping students succeed on their licensing exams.


Part 1: Preparation

The first part of your exam strategy should include thorough preparation. This may seem daunting but having an in-depth understanding of necessary skills and competencies needed for an HR professional, as well as the governing federal and provincial legislation, is critical. While you do not need to memorize everything, the better you know the concepts and processes, and their application to the workplace, the better prepared you will be.

A useful source for obtaining legislation to use in your studying is the Canadian Legal Information Institute. Here, you can find all current federal and provincial legislation and regulations such as the federal Canada Labour Code, the Ontario Employment Standards Act, and the Ontario Human Rights Code which you will need to know and understand for the purpose of passing the exam. As part of your thorough preparation, you will want to understand these statutes. To help you with this, also refer to the Interpretation Act which provides guidance on the interpretation and the rules of construction of the legislation that you will need to understand and rely on for your exam and your career.


Part 2: Planning

The next step in the strategy is planning. Proper planning involves organizing your study process and giving yourself the right amount of time to get ready. Too often people leave studying for the CHRP/CHRL Employment Law Exam to the last minute, thinking that they can cram for it. However, in order to ensure that you fully engrain the knowledge needed to pass your exam, you need time. Plan to start studying well in advance and be sure to incorporate as many resources as you can. Set out a schedule that keeps you on target and incorporates time to write practice exams along the way so you can assess your progress leading up to the exam.

Though each person will have their own way of planning their study schedule that works best for them, a timetable that provides for sufficient time to read and review materials, as well as write practice exams on an ongoing basis as a tool to gauge your progress is recommended. An effective plan is to start studying at least six before your exam. Spend the first three weeks reviewing your study materials and learning the statutes. After three weeks, write your first practice exam so you can evaluate where you are in your studies. Spend the next two weeks studying and then write another practice exam. In the final week before your exam, you should be well prepared. This week should be spent doing final review and writing one or two more practice exams to work on your exam strategy.


Part 3: Practice

The third part of an effective strategy is practice, practice, practice. By integrating practice exams like Emond’s CHRP/CHRL Employment Practice Exam into your study schedule, you benefit from working on exam-writing strategies and can gauge your areas of strength and weakness allowing you to focus on specific areas that need more study. In terms of your strategy for writing a multiple-choice exam, the following is a proven and effective approach:

  • Carefully read the question and try to answer it before looking at the answer choices

  • Pay careful attention to the language in the question. Look for keywords such as may or shall. These words will direct you toward the correct answer

  • Answer the questions that you know. Do not spend unnecessary time struggling with a question. If you cannot answer it quickly, make a mark next to it, move on, and return to it later

  • When unsure of the answer, start by eliminating the answers you know are not correct. If you can reduce your options down to two answers, you immediately increase your odds of getting it correct, even if you guess

  • Trust your gut. Often you will instinctively know the answer. Try not to second guess yourself once you commit to an answer

Visit Emond Exam Prep for more information on Emond Publishing’s CHRP/CHRL practice exams.