How should you think about your HR career when salary, learning, job title, employer brand, and long-term opportunity are all pulling in different directions?
In this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, Andrew Bartlow and Jess Yuen take a practical look at career growth for HR professionals - from choosing your next role to deciding which forms of professional development are actually worth your time and money.
Andrew shares a framework that has influenced his career since his first HR role: think about your career in thirds. Early on, the priority is accumulating valuable experience. Later, you can increasingly benefit financially from that experience. Over time, those choices can create greater freedom over what you do next.
Jess adds another important dimension: your career is also an opportunity for self-discovery. You may not know whether you're better suited to a large organization, a startup, or a particular kind of HR role until you've experienced it. Even a move that feels wrong can teach you something valuable about what to choose next.
In this episode, Andrew and Jess discuss:
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Why taking a long-term view can change how you evaluate your next HR role
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How to weigh salary against learning, employer brand and future career opportunities
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Why experimenting with different companies and environments can help you discover where you thrive
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When professional communities become particularly important for HR leaders working in smaller organizations
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How to think about the value of HR certifications and graduate degrees at different career stages
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Why another qualification may not be what moves an experienced manager or director into a VP role
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How changing the work you take on and how you operate with senior leadership can become increasingly important as your career progresses
You'll also hear Andrew and Jess reflect on their own career choices, including the employer brands that opened doors for them, Jess's realization that large-company life wasn't the right fit for her, and why Andrew believes the ultimate return on purposeful career growth can be greater freedom and choice.
If you're thinking about your next HR role, wondering what you should be learning or questioning whether another qualification is really worth the investment, listen in for a thoughtful conversation about playing the long game while making smarter choices about what comes next.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator Podcast
Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
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