A practical guide for HR leaders navigating an uncertain executive market
The traditional career path to the chief human resources officer role is becoming harder to navigate.
Across many organisations the CHRO role is evolving. In some companies it is being reshaped into broader leadership roles covering transformation, technology or operations. In others the role is being downgraded, split across functions or disappearing entirely.
At the same time, experienced HR leaders are finding themselves competing with first-time CHRO candidates, struggling to secure interviews, or being encouraged towards interim and portfolio careers.
This guide explores what is happening in the senior HR leadership market and what it means for experienced HR professionals planning their next move.
This guide provides a clear picture of how the senior HR career market is changing and what experienced leaders are encountering in practice. Inside the report you will learn:
The guide also includes practical checklists to help you prepare for conversations with recruiters and rethink how you present your leadership impact.
This briefing is designed for experienced HR leaders thinking carefully about the next stage of their careers.
It will be particularly useful for:
• CHROs or HR directors currently in career transition
• Senior HR leaders preparing for their next executive move
• HR professionals exploring interim, fractional or portfolio careers
• Experienced leaders struggling to gain traction in the executive recruitment market
Over the past few years I’ve spoken with many experienced HR leaders who have reached a difficult moment in their careers.
They expected the final step to be the CHRO role. Instead they found a very different market.
Roles that once existed are disappearing or being redesigned. Search processes are taking longer. Experienced candidates are competing with first-time CHROs. Some leaders are being pushed towards interim work or portfolio careers without having planned for it.
Yet very little of this reality is discussed openly.
As a journalist covering HR for more than two decades, I wanted to understand what was really happening. This guide draws on conversations with executive recruiters, CHROs and senior HR practitioners to provide a clearer picture of the market and the choices HR leaders now face.
The aim is simple: to help experienced HR leaders make more informed decisions about the next stage of their careers.
Created by The People Space, a trusted voice for HR leaders exploring the future of work.
