Well, that’s not entirely true. I once met someone who pursued HR because their mother did. But for most of us—especially those navigating the evolving world of modern HR—we didn’t exactly dream of this as kids. We landed here by circumstance. Right place, right time.
More and more, I find myself connecting with others who started in entirely different careers before finding themselves in HR. There’s often a throughline: a mix of business savvy and a deep desire to help people. That intersection, I believe, is where great HR leadership lives. And many of us just happen to stumble into it because we’ve lived that very blend of experience.
In my case, I “fell into” HR while working as a marketer for a boutique tech company. (Before that, I worked in sales. And before that? Architectural services.) At the time, the company had about 30 employees and one leader—the founder and CEO. It was successful, but it lacked structure, putting it at risk for all kinds of compliance issues.
Being the curious, observant, and deeply committed problem-solver that I am, I noticed the gap and volunteered to establish some foundational HR practices. Over time, one thing led to another, and when the company merged with another to form a newly launched startup, I became the head of HR for the entire organization.
I was excited. I was delighted. And I was insecure.
I didn’t know how to be strictly HR. I was used to wearing many hats, as one does in small, scrappy organizations. I felt self-conscious about not having a long, traditional HR career. I worried I’d be seen as an imposter—or as someone who didn’t “earn” an executive-level role.
But over time, I started to understand the real value of my path. My non-linear, cross-functional experiences had given me a perspective that was uniquely useful. I had firsthand insight into how business functions operate—and more importantly, how people are at the heart of it all.
What I once saw as a professional liability, I now see as an asset. I don’t fit neatly into the classic mold of an HR leader—and I don’t want to. My strength isn’t in staying in my “HR lane.” It’s in connecting across the organization, closing gaps between teams, and strategizing in ways that align people with purpose.