Your Career, Your Terms: Pivot Points

Celia Berk didn’t set out to be a corporate executive. In fact, she moved to New York City thinking “Broadway” more than “Boardroom.” But, she quickly learned that breaking into showbiz was really hard and she actually loved working in an office. Thus began her career as an “accidental HR executive.” Through her early jobs, Celia learned what she liked about work and what she was good at. Upon landing at Reuters in 1987, she climbed the ladder of HR-adjacent roles till she became the SVP of organizational development. Her rise didn’t follow a traditional career ladder but in retrospect, as every step involved HR and talent work. That’s why she pivoted to HR at Burson-Marsteller (BM) and then Young & Rubicam (Y&R). It was at this point that Celia also decided it was time to turn her “singing hobby” into a full-fledged part of her professional life. Although hesitant at first, Celia has learned how to balance these two very different parts of her life/career. Listen in to Your Career, Your Terms®: Pivot