I need to share this because I was completely lost after my second failed attempt in November. Scored a 497 both times, which if you don't know, passing is 500. Two points. I cried in my car for like 20 minutes. I'd been using a popular textbook and just rereading chapters, which clearly wasn't working.
What changed everything for me was actually doing timed HRCI practice test sessions instead of passive studying. I found a good question bank and forced myself to do 50-question blocks under real time pressure, then reviewed every wrong answer — not just the right answer, but WHY the other options were wrong. That shift took me from "I sort of know this" to actually internalizing the logic HRCI uses.
I also downloaded a structured study guide that organized topics by exam weight (Employee Relations is huge, don't sleep on it). Passed with a 542 in March. If you're stuck, I'm happy to share what resources I used and my rough 10-week schedule.