Latisha R. Billups

I think the key for me, most importantly, is not tying my identity to work. I didn't grow up saying I wanted to be in HR, right? Knowing that I can have a healthy work-life balance, just given my competing priorities, and I've learned that more now than ever as a mother, as a wife. I can still show up as my full self to work and leave it at work, and that kind of helps me balance out my mental health, my physical wellness, my family time. I don't necessarily need to tie my identity to my place of work, and I don't have to burn myself out here, because if I do that, then I'm not going to be able to do what I can do or help employees. Just knowing how to have proper boundaries, I should say - I think that's what really has aided in all my success.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is, honestly, what my mentor always tells me: “don’t trip and go home”—just do your best while you’re at work, give it everything you can up to that point, and then leave it there and go home without carrying the stress or overthinking it.

It's going to take time to be where you want to be. Sometimes you have to go through the motions, you have to have the challenging conversations, because what we aim for - we aim to reach so high professionally, especially in HR - but that's going to come with challenging conversations, it's going to come with some roadblocks. But if you're able to surpass those, you're going to be fine. But it is going to take time.

One of the major challenges is just being a woman. Unfortunately, when it comes to decision-making power, and if you're entering this field and you don't necessarily have the knowledge, or the data, or even the HR certification, sometimes your credibility may lack based on someone's perception. However, you have to really know yourself to go against those challenges, because I know what I can bring to the table with or without an HR certification. Just because there's letters or acronyms beyond my name, yes, it provides more credibility, but it doesn't speak to what I can bring to the table. That's a challenge that I've seen when I first transitioned into HR. I still see those challenges now, even as a woman of color, because this is an industry where, unfortunately, it is a predominantly white industry for HR professionals. As for opportunities, the network is truly amazing. I've had the opportunity to not only talk to professionals where we're working on the same level, but I'm having conversations with chief executives, reporting up to C-suite executive members. A great opportunity is really being that strategic partner to leadership. It's more outputs than inputs, so you go from being this highly functional HR admin to elevating to a strategic partner. Leaders at the top don't need all the details, they need action, they need strategy. And if you're able to provide that from the minds of the employees that currently work in the organization, you're a valuable asset. That's a great opportunity for a young woman entering the field - just a path to strategic partnership. What I love most is the ability to learn and to keep learning. There is a day that is never dull. No matter how much I'm in this field, no matter how much processing or work that I'm doing, there are trends out there that I still have to stay on top of, and that makes my work exciting.

First and foremost, integrity. I cannot - I'm a very honest person, so if there's a conflict between the two, I'm very - and I have, and I've done this before - if there's a conflict between the two, I will remove myself, because I cannot do anything against not being honest, and that shows up both personally and professionally. I also value hard work. I value showing my best work up until the point that I can. Not necessarily wearing it on my sleeve, but I will work hard, I will produce quality work, because I want someone to be able to review my work without question. Even if there are any questions or follow-ups, I want to execute so much quality and excellence to the point where there wouldn't be little to no follow-up. I also value being very humble. Yes, I've worked my way up, even just transitioning out of retail management to where I am now. I've made a significant salary jump, which is great, but I'm humbly grateful for serving the positions that I've had and just learning what I know now and what's to come. So those are really the bulk of my values, how they all intersect, both personally and professionally.