Her Story
About Nya
Nya James is a Human Resources Consultant specializing in HR tech at BambooHR, where she has worked for about a year. With roughly 7 years of experience in the field, her career began at the Children's Home Society of Florida, a nonprofit organization. She earned a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology and later pursued an MBA with a focus in Human Resources Management, which prepared her for SHRM certification. Nya is passionate about employee engagement and helping leaders. She has expanded into public speaking, recently presenting at WorkHuman Live and scheduled to speak at HR Southwest. She remains connected to SHRM Greater Orlando events. Nya attributes her success to saying yes to opportunities and the value of networking for gaining diverse perspectives.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nya
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say saying yes. Early on in my field I had imposter syndrome so I would say no because I felt like I wasn't qualified, but saying yes to more opportunities definitely opened me up. Also the importance of networking. Being able to collaborate and talk with others in the same industry gives me diverse perspectives that I can bring to my leaders.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions. Don't be afraid to sound incompetent or silly. Lead with curiosity. Don't take a no as a never. It could be a not yet. So keep trying.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is changing the status quo. When you've been doing something for so long, it's hard to get that leadership buy-in or executive sign off from top to bottom, so providing a new perspective.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Assume the best. We all come from different walks of life so it's about perspective. Assuming the best of everyone that you encounter, whether that be personally or professionally, makes you a bit more open to experiences.
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