By Zoie Teytelbaum, Managing Director, HR & Talent Acquisition
There’s no single path to a successful career in human resources. While many HR professionals begin their careers with degrees in human resources, others arrive through entirely different industries and experiences. In today’s evolving workplace, those unconventional career paths are becoming increasingly valuable as organizations seek HR professionals who bring diverse perspectives, transferable skills, and fresh approaches to people management.
In this video, Zoie Teytelbaum explains why hiring managers should remain open-minded when evaluating HR talent and why candidates with unconventional backgrounds may bring exactly the perspective an organization needs.
Watch the Video
Zoie Teytelbaum, Managing Director of Landing Point’s HR & Talent Acquisition team, discusses why professionals with unconventional backgrounds often thrive in human resources and how transferable skills can create long-term success.
Key Takeaways
We encourage hiring managers to focus on potential and transferable experience, not just traditional resumes.
Human resources is, at its core, a people business. Skills like empathy, active listening, conflict resolution, relationship management, and adaptability often matter just as much as a candidate’s formal HR experience.
This is why professionals from industries like hospitality, retail, healthcare, customer service, or operations frequently make outstanding HR professionals. These careers require individuals to manage competing priorities, navigate difficult conversations, understand individual needs, and deliver exceptional service—skills that translate naturally into employee relations and talent management.
The same principle applies when professionals transition between industries. An HR leader moving from financial services into a creative organization, or vice versa, may encounter different business challenges, but the core objective remains the same: helping people and organizations succeed together. The ability to build trust, solve problems, and create positive employee experiences transcends industry lines.
For hiring managers, this means looking beyond a perfectly linear resume.
Candidates who have taken unconventional paths often bring unique perspectives that strengthen HR teams, challenge existing thinking, and improve organizational outcomes. For job seekers, it serves as a reminder that a nontraditional background shouldn’t be viewed as a disadvantage. Instead, understanding how to communicate transferable skills and demonstrate their value can open doors to new opportunities that may have otherwise seemed out of reach.
Looking Ahead
Whether you’re hiring HR talent or exploring your own next career move, keeping an open mind can uncover opportunities that traditional hiring approaches often miss.
At Landing Point, our HR & Talent Acquisition team partners with organizations and HR professionals to identify talent based on potential, transferable skills, and long-term fit, not just titles or career paths. Connect with our team to learn how we can help you build or grow a stronger HR organization.
Transcript
Zoie Teytelbaum
HR professionals can come from a variety of unique and non-traditional backgrounds. I speak with candidates looking for new HR opportunities as well as clients hiring for HR positions, and I generally see two different paths into the profession.
One path is the non-traditional route. These are individuals who didn’t necessarily study HR in school but found their way into the field through trial and error, much like many of us do early in our careers. They often bring valuable perspectives from previous industries and experiences.
I’ve seen great success with candidates coming from hospitality or the restaurant industry because they’ve developed foundational skills centered around exceptional service, reading a room, and understanding both organizational and individual needs. Those abilities translate extremely well into HR.
The other path includes professionals later in their careers who leverage transferable HR experience across industries. Whether someone moves from financial services into a creative industry or makes the opposite transition, each environment presents unique challenges, but the core mission remains the same.
People solutions are people solutions. That’s why I encourage both hiring managers and candidates to think creatively—whether it’s expanding where you’re sourcing talent or broadening the types of opportunities you’re willing to pursue.
About Zoie Teytelbaum
Zoie Teytelbaum is a Managing Director at Landing Point, leading HR & Talent Acquisition executive search across the Tri-State area and Florida. With a background in sales and a sharp focus on operational and human capital leadership, she oversees searches for chief administrative officers, heads of human resources, and senior executive assistants within asset management, private equity, hedge fund, and family office platforms.
Zoie regularly advises clients on hiring trends, compensation benchmarking, and candidate experience strategy, often mentoring fund leaders who are launching or scaling new teams. As someone integral to the growth of Landing Point, she also spearheads initiatives to elevate internal collaboration and technology adoption. A Florida native and University of Florida graduate, Zoie loves stand-up comedy, exploring coastal cities, and discovering new restaurants with her husband.