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How were you able to become successful in climbing the ladder to become high ranking in the Human Resources department?

I am a soon to be graduate from high school and I have interned at a human resources department for 6 months and have realizes that it is the career I desire. I'd like to know a little more about some tips on how to climb the corporate ladder.

career spring25 human-resources hr
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Beckey’s Answer

Hi Ayden,

Getting involved in different areas of Human Resources as a high school intern is really helpful. Pay attention to what you like and don't like, and write down why. Also, note how your work helps the business.

Moving up in a company can happen in many ways. Here are two tips: 1) Knowing HR is important, but you also need to understand how business works and how your company makes money. Being able to show how HR helps the business makes you stand out. 2) When choosing a college, look for schools with SHRM or other HR student chapters. These can connect you with companies and business leaders through networking and projects.
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Donice’s Answer

Hi Ayden,

If you're looking to grow within HR, my advice is to start by gaining a solid understanding of all the different functions within the field. HR covers a wide range of areas, and becoming familiar with each one will help position you for future leadership roles. In addition to leadership training and development opportunities, pursuing your SHRM certification is a great way to deepen your expertise and demonstrate to your leadership team that you're serious about advancing your career.
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Nisha’s Answer

Great question—and first, I just want to say how impressive it is that you’ve already interned in an HR department while still in high school! That kind of early experience will really set you apart. I’ve been in the Talent Acquisition space for several years now, and what’s helped me grow in my HR career has been a mix of continuous learning, building strong relationships, and being intentional with my career moves. Here are a few things that made a difference for me:

Stay curious and keep learning – HR is always evolving, so it’s important to stay up to date on trends, tools, and best practices. Whether it’s taking courses, reading articles, or joining HR communities, it all helps.
Explore different areas of HR – Early in your career, try to get exposure to as many HR functions as possible—recruiting, employee relations, onboarding, learning and development, etc. This gives you a well-rounded view and helps you figure out what you enjoy most.

Build relationships – HR is all about people, and relationships really matter. Get to know your coworkers, business partners, and mentors. The stronger your network, the more support and guidance you’ll have as you grow.
Be proactive – Don’t wait for opportunities to land in your lap. Raise your hand for projects, ask for feedback, and let your leaders know you’re interested in growing your career.
Remember your “why” – HR can be incredibly rewarding, but also challenging. Knowing why you’re passionate about this work will help you stay grounded and motivated, especially during the tough days.
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Anne’s Answer

Hi Ayden! In addition to the great advice above, I'd add getting familiar with other common functions inside of organizations - finance, IT, customer success, prod/dev (these will vary by industry). The reason I mention this is because HR leaders are expected to drive business results across the organization through their work. Having knowledge into these areas - such as their metrics and KPIs - can help you connect HR initiatives (or design HR strategies) to business impact. In my experience, the most successful HR leaders understand, speak the language of, and drive results like customer satisfaction, customer retention, innovation, and safety, even if HR isn't "directly" responsible for these areas.

Best of luck to you!
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Jamie’s Answer

Great question, it sounds like you have a lot of ambition! Keep asking for opportunities to do things outside of your role, and the advancement will follow suit. Something that worked really well for me was to think about how I could move laterally across HR to build my experience. For example, I started as an intern / administrative assistant and then started scheduling candidates for interviews and was promoted to Junior Recruiter. Then I was looking for more opportunity so they moved me laterally into a Benefits Analyst role where I handled Employee Benefits. Our company then was implementing a system for Performance Management and so I got involved there. With all of this experience, I was more equipped to become more of a senior generalist.
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Kristina’s Answer

Great question! In my experience, the best way to keep growing and climbing is to really focus on saying Yes to new challenges. Even if presented with a new project/opportunity that you may not think is desirable, challenge yourself to say yes and put yourself out of your comfort zone. The more you stay uncomfortable, the more you will be able to grow!
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Heather (Hui)’s Answer

Hi Ayden,
It's a fantastic question! I currently work in HR for a technology company, and I found that the best skills for climbing the corporate ladder has been more soft-skills than technical skills. These are skills I've personally honed (and continue to do so):

1. Presentation skills - being able to share data and tell stories to different audience members. Doing activities such as Toastmasters, improv classes, or simply pushing yourself to share in front of audiences can help you hone this!
2. Change management - being able to weather lots of change and see the opportunities through change. No matter what organization you join, change will be a constant, whether it's a new department, team leader, or priorities. Seeing the opportunities of these changes and acting on these opportunities will help you shine in a role.

Cheers,
Heather
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Kelly’s Answer

Hi! It's great that you want to succeed in HR. To do well, try to gain a variety of HR experiences. Seek opportunities that help you grow and connect with people both inside and outside your organization. This will open more doors for you. Explore different HR roles like benefits, learning and development, HR systems, generalist positions, and recruiting. Gaining experience in these areas will make you more appealing for advanced roles and keep your work interesting. Building relationships is key to success. Also, as AI continues to evolve, learn how AI tools can help you analyze HR trends and simplify your work.
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Kristal’s Answer

Explore as many HR areas as you can at the start of your career. Try to gain some experience or basic knowledge in each one. Find out which area you enjoy most, then concentrate on that while still learning about others. Connect with people across the company and take on challenging projects that help you grow, especially those that involve different departments and are highly visible.
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Brooke’s Answer

Hi Ayden, I'm a senior director in HR, leading a team of over 30 professionals, and we support 2,500 people in the company. It's wonderful that you're eager to advance in your career, but remember that doing your best at each stage is most important. Sometimes, people get so focused on moving up that they forget to excel in their current job. My advice is to fully embrace each step and make the most of your experiences before looking to move up. Nowadays, it's crucial to embrace technology and use AI to work efficiently and add value. Most importantly, your people skills—like building trust and communicating well with different people—will be key to your growth. Good luck!
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Jen’s Answer

Keep in mind that climbing the corporate ladder is not always about progression up via promotions. Often times the lateral moves at the same level are ones that help you gather more knowledge along the way. My advice is the same for all professions, not just HR. Be intentional about developing relationships at your organization. Add a personal component when you connect. Don't make it all about work or what you can gain. It is actually quite the reverse. By understanding people and where they struggle, you can help build a better connection. They count on you for help and advice which leads to Trust - which is a critical component. As you move to different jobs, stay connected with people you worked with before. Keep a connect quarterly to touch base. Continue to be curious and learn from others. if you do that, you will go far.
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Dianne’s Answer

I thrived in my HR career because I was curious. I loved learning new things, exploring different areas, and meeting new people. Being open to new ideas shows you have a growth mindset, which leaders value. They see your potential and offer you more chances to learn and grow. When you step into new areas, you expand your skills and can handle various roles. Meeting new people builds your network, giving you supporters who cheer you on and promote you, sometimes without you even knowing. You want people to speak positively about you in meetings you're not in, leading to more opportunities. So, keep a growth mindset, stay eager to learn, and always be curious. You can do it!
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Jacqueline’s Answer

Hi! I started in accounting and jumped to the HR space supporting from a technology, operations and development angle. I think rising the ranks involves the art of dissent. You should have a point of view, people don't want to hear you agreeing all the time you should share your perspective, be bold and confident. You don't always have to be right but you should have a perspective and that will help further the group goal and make people want to include you on the projects and believe in you as a leader. Also, focus on soft skills such as professional judgement and critical thinking.

Jacqueline recommends the following next steps:

Focus on soft skills: professional judgement, critical thinking
The art of dissent
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Rumyana’s Answer

Hello Ayden,

It is great to connect with such a curious young professional like yourself! Kudos for not being shy to ask some real questions!

Climbing the corporate ladder is not always about a promotion or a job title change. Remember you can always grow if you feel you are learning or making an impact into people's life and you can be a leader in any role regardless of job seniority. A few specific examples that will help you grow professionally (climb the corporate ladder) would be:

- Cultivate a growth mindset: be open to change and becoming a better version of yourself, learn from mistakes
- Adopt a lifelong learning mindset: make sure you are well-prepared for the Work of the Future (digital, AI related skills...)
- Make networking a habit: connect with professionals outside your current team and departments, this is how you build up your business acumen and get to learn about more opportunities
- Be a strong performer in what you are currently doing, try to go the extra mile when delivering results (not meaning working overtime)
- Be proactive, take the initiative: do not sit and wait, be the 1st one to suggest an idea/improvement or volunteer for a new initiative. This is how you build your credibility, visibility, personal brand, as well as leadership skills
- Be vocal and present in meetings: present your accomplishments, make sure you are visible to the leadership team
- Establish strong connections with the business leaders: prioritize learning more about the business: having a strong business acumen will open more doors to you

And last but not least - be consistent, diligent and professional!

My best,
Rumyana
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Lisa’s Answer

Your ambition is great! Climbing the corporate ladder is possible with effort. Here are three tips from my 30 years of experience:

1. Network within the company. Attend events, join employee groups, and connect with colleagues.

2. Seek new opportunities. When you feel comfortable in your role, tell your supervisors you're eager to learn more. Volunteer for projects to expand your skills.

3. Aim for excellent client service. Impress your clients and make your work memorable. This boosts your reputation and opens doors to more opportunities.

Believe in yourself and work hard. Success will follow. Good luck!
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Anuja’s Answer

Hi Ayden, a lot of good advice has been given out to your question already. I would add from my personal experience- a few key things that helped me in my career pathway were- 1)Understand the business. Invest time in networking with non HR teams, understand the business lingo, read the company LinkedIn or market announcements. When you speak to the business in their language you earn more credibility. 2) Use any opportunity to do rotation in different HR sub-departments or be involved in cross dept projects. Even if as a note taker or junior project coordinator, you will still learn something. Put your hand-up. Do not be shy or question your ability. Just say Yes and then things will shape up. 3) Be innovative.Challenge status quo. Question every process and make conscious effort to think if it could be done differently. Bring solutions/ideas so you become 'visible'.
Wishing you the best for your career.
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