I love May! In my part of the nation (Mountain West), this is when the cold is past, the drippiness is rare, and new growth is happening everywhere you look. It brings new energy and a sense of preparing for the next phase. It is timely for ASHHRA members to take this moment to embrace this sense of renewal and growth and prepare for our own future.

As we continue to learn and grow throughout our career, ASHHRA can be a valuable partner. There are toolkits for a myriad of topics. There are mentors to support us—or mentees that we can support! Both of those situations provide tremendous learning opportunities. There are books to buy, reports to review and colleagues to call. There is the opportunity to demonstrate our proficiency by becoming Certified in Healthcare Human Resources (CHHR).

The CHHR has been a topic in this forum before. However, since it is still new, I don’t want to miss a chance to highlight this great new certification. This season of renewal is a perfect time to begin to prepare yourself for a new challenge. Lucky for us, there are many options to take the exam. There are sites around the country that provide this service. There are chapter and regional events that are offering the exam as part of their local event(s). Of course, there will be the opportunity to take the exam at the annual conference in Chicago this fall.

ASHHRA has prep materials available to help you. Also, in several areas of the country there are study groups forming. The study groups that met before and during the last annual conference had a great pass rate. Finally, if you wonder how ready you are to take the test, there is also a new self-assessment exam (SAE) that is available at a relatively nominal cost.

Health care HR careers are on the rise. Give yourself the opportunity for a real growth spurt! Just remember, as you prepare for your own future, ASHHRA is here to help.