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Certifications that open doors

• SHRM-CP (Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional)

  The best known credential in the field. $350 to $499 to sit, and employers often pay it.

• PHR (Professional in Human Resources)

  Run by HRCI (the Human Resource Certification Institute), the other national body. Similar standing and price.

• Technical recruiting

  Learning enough about software and engineering roles to hold a real conversation is the single biggest pay jump in this job.

• Sourcing and search courses

  Short and cheap. They teach you to dig candidates out of databases instead of waiting for applications.