#118 - Sonali Kumar - How to Break into People Analytics in 2025

Help support the podcast: We are a listener supported podcast. By becoming a patron you will help us cover the costs of producing and distributing our podcast, while getting special premium access to the hosts. Please become a patron of Directionally Correct by going here: https://patron.podbean.com/directionallycorrect In this enlightening episode of "Directionally Correct," host Cole sits down with Sonali Kumar, a fresh people analyst and podcast host, to unravel her unconventional journey from studying criminal justice to becoming a beacon in the field of people analytics. Sonali shares her personal tale of career pivots driven by a quest for meaningful impact and strategic growth in the HR analytics domain. Together, they explore the shifting dynamics in people analytics, especially as AI reshapes required skill sets. Sonali offers fresh perspectives on balancing technical and non-technical skills, emphasizing the importance of communication and stakeholder engagement in today's data-driven landscape. Listeners will gain insights into Sonali's unique approach to building a personal brand, overcoming imposter syndrome, and her fervor for continuous learning. The conversation also touches on the future of the workforce and the challenges of breaking into new fields in an ever-evolving job market. Whether you're a budding data enthusiast or an established professional navigating career changes, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice from two leaders in the analytics space. Anthropic is giving all their employees the same job description The next great resignation is coming - Lightcast Gen AI machine learning algos are destroying human created ones