Free Human Resources & People Management certifications
Hire, grow and look after people. 14 free tests from beginner to advanced, every question based on a published source, with a verifiable certificate you can add to LinkedIn.
Founder, Science of AppsWhat are the best free HR & people certifications?
Science of Apps has 14 free Human Resources & People Management certifications and skill tests: hire, grow and look after people. 6 beginner, 8 intermediate — each a timed online test of original scenarios based on published standards, graded instantly, with a verifiable, LinkedIn-ready certificate.
Beginner HR & people certifications
No experience needed: fundamentals and clear reasoning.
- 10 questions · 10 minSOA-HRF
Human Resources Fundamentals Certification
Tests HR basics — the employee lifecycle, recruitment and onboarding, employment law principles, policies, employee relations, records and data privacy, and HR's strategic role.
Difficulty: BeginnerFor HR assistant, HR generalist, HR coordinatorTake the 10-minute test → - 10 questions · 10 minSOA-TAR
Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Certification
Tests recruitment — workforce planning, job descriptions, sourcing channels, inclusive hiring, candidate experience, structured selection, offers and recruitment metrics.
Difficulty: BeginnerFor Recruiter, Talent acquisition specialist, HR generalistTake the 10-minute test → - 10 questions · 10 minSOA-EMPB
Employer Branding Certification
Tests employer branding — the employee value proposition, authentic storytelling, careers sites, reviews on Glassdoor-type platforms, employee advocacy and measuring brand impact.
Difficulty: BeginnerFor Employer brand manager, Recruitment marketer, Talent acquisition leadTake the 10-minute test → - 10 questions · 10 minSOA-ENG
Employee Engagement Certification
Tests employee engagement — what drives it, the manager's role, recognition, psychological safety, wellbeing, surveys and acting on feedback.
Difficulty: BeginnerFor HR business partner, Manager, People operations specialistTake the 10-minute test → - 10 questions · 10 minSOA-NMGR
People Management for New Managers Certification
Tests the essentials for first-time managers — the shift from doing to leading, one-to-ones, delegation, feedback, setting expectations, running a team and managing former peers.
Difficulty: BeginnerFor New manager, Team lead, SupervisorTake the 10-minute test → - 10 questions · 10 minSOA-WEPC
Workplace Ethics and Professional Conduct Certification
Tests workplace ethics — conflicts of interest, confidentiality, gifts, honesty, harassment and respect, speaking up and whistleblowing, data handling and using AI ethically at work.
Difficulty: BeginnerFor Any employee, Manager, HR professionalTake the 10-minute test →
Intermediate HR & people certifications
Assumes hands-on experience in the role.
- 15 questions · 15 minSOA-TECR
Technical Recruitment Certification
Tests tech recruiting — understanding engineering roles and stacks, sourcing developers, assessing technical skills fairly, partnering with engineers and selling the role.
Difficulty: IntermediateFor Technical recruiter, Tech talent partner, Recruitment consultantTake the 15-minute test → - 15 questions · 15 minSOA-ICE
Interviewing and Candidate Evaluation Certification
Tests interviewing — structured and behavioural interviews, competency questions, scoring rubrics, avoiding bias, illegal questions, panel calibration and decision-making.
Difficulty: IntermediateFor Hiring manager, Recruiter, HR business partnerTake the 15-minute test → - 15 questions · 15 minSOA-RSSB
Resume Screening and Skills-Based Hiring Certification
Tests CV screening and skills-based hiring — must-have vs nice-to-have criteria, removing degree requirements where unnecessary, work samples, ATS use, AI screening risks and fairness.
Difficulty: IntermediateFor Recruiter, Talent acquisition specialist, Hiring managerTake the 15-minute test → - 15 questions · 15 minSOA-HRA
HR Analytics Fundamentals Certification
Tests people analytics — key HR metrics like turnover, retention, time to hire and engagement, data quality, privacy, segmentation, and turning analysis into action.
Difficulty: IntermediateFor HR analyst, People analytics specialist, HR business partnerTake the 15-minute test → - 15 questions · 15 minSOA-PERF
Performance Management Certification
Tests modern performance management — goal setting, continuous feedback, check-ins, fair reviews, calibration, bias, underperformance and development conversations.
Difficulty: IntermediateFor Manager, HR business partner, Team leadTake the 15-minute test → - 15 questions · 15 minSOA-LND
Learning and Development Certification
Tests L&D — training needs analysis, adult learning principles, the 70-20-10 model, learning design, blended and digital learning, evaluation with the Kirkpatrick model and skills strategy.
Difficulty: IntermediateFor L&D specialist, Training manager, Instructional designerTake the 15-minute test → - 15 questions · 15 minSOA-CAB
Compensation and Benefits Fundamentals Certification
Tests reward basics — pay structures and bands, market benchmarking, compa-ratios, pay equity and transparency, variable pay, benefits design and total rewards.
Difficulty: IntermediateFor Compensation analyst, HR business partner, Reward managerTake the 15-minute test → - 15 questions · 15 minSOA-ODEV
Organizational Development (OD) Certification
Tests organisational development — OD principles and diagnostic models, change management models and resistance, and OD interventions in culture, teams, leadership and organisation design, with evaluation of impact.
Difficulty: IntermediateFor Organisational development specialist, HR business partner, Change managerTake the 15-minute test →
More free certification categories
- AI & GenAI36 tests
- Software & web dev33 tests
- Data & BI28 tests
- Marketing, SEO & AEO39 tests
- UX/UI & design42 tests
- Product & project35 tests
- Security, cloud & DevOps50 tests
- Sales & support24 tests
- Finance & operations69 tests
- Communication & leadership30 tests
- Languages60 tests
- Healthcare, education & more64 tests
- Test prep & academics31 tests
- Language exam prep15 tests
- Office & productivity13 tests
- Engineering & safety30 tests
- Hospitality & retail8 tests
Frequently asked questions
What are the best free HR & people certifications in 2026?
Science of Apps offers 14 free Human Resources & People Management certifications and skill tests, including Human Resources Fundamentals Certification, Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Certification, Technical Recruitment Certification, Interviewing and Candidate Evaluation Certification, Resume Screening and Skills-Based Hiring Certification, Employer Branding Certification. Each is a timed online test of original scenarios based on published standards, graded instantly, with a founder-signed certificate and a credential ID employers can verify.
Which HR & people certification should I take first?
Start with a Beginner test such as Human Resources Fundamentals Certification, Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Certification, Employer Branding Certification, then move to Intermediate. Every test page shows its difficulty, the skills it covers and a sample question.
Are these HR & people certifications really free?
Yes. Taking a test, receiving the certificate as a PDF and by email, adding it to LinkedIn and having it verified are all free — no course, payment or sign-up.
How long does each HR & people test take?
Quick skill tests are 10, 15 or 20 questions (Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced) at a minute each; full role certifications are 20 scenarios in 30 minutes. Every answer is explained with its source when you finish, and a retake draws questions you haven't seen.
How much do Science of Apps certifications cost?
Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.
How are the tests graded?
On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.
What happens if I don't pass?
You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.
Do the certificates expire?
No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.
Can I add the certificate to LinkedIn?
Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.
How can an employer verify my certificate?
Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.
Are these accredited qualifications?
No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.