EPISODE · Apr 23, 2026 · 46 MIN
Say Yes or Stay Average: The Career Advice By CHRO Jessica Kozak That Actually Works
from Practitioners Corner · host WRKdefined
From pulling weapons at Six Flags to scaling a global HR org, this is what happens when you chase people, not titles. Most careers don’t break. They drift. Jessica Kozak didn’t drift. She pivoted fast, learned what she hated early, and kept saying yes when it counted. From high-volume recruiting chaos to enterprise HR strategy, this is about ownership, risk, and building real leverage through people, not process. In this episode, you get the unfiltered path from security guard to CHRO, what high-turnover environments actually teach you, why “say yes” beats perfect planning, and how networks quietly run your career whether you admit it or not. Key Takeaways: Jessica started in criminal justice and pivoted after realizing she hated enforcement work High-volume recruiting means constant churn. Casino dealers sometimes leave in weeks Early career lesson: figure out what you don’t want fast She spent ~8 years in recruiting before moving into HR leadership “Say yes” unlocked multiple promotions and stretch roles Booz Allen rotated roles every ~18 months to force growth Hybrid HR + recruiting roles create stronger business alignment COVID response included building a 24/7 grocery support system for seniors Headquarters exposure accelerates access to executives and decision-making Networks compound. Burn one bridge, it follows you for years Career growth came from discomfort, not planning Guest : Jessica Kozak | CHRO, Apex Analytics LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicakozak Builds and scales HR orgs across enterprise environments. Known for turning chaos into structure without losing the human side. Connect with Us : William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ WRKdefined Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
From pulling weapons at Six Flags to scaling a global HR org, this is what happens when you chase people, not titles. Most careers don’t break. They drift. Jessica Kozak didn’t drift. She pivoted fast, learned what she hated early, and kept saying yes when it counted. From high-volume recruiting chaos to enterprise HR strategy, this is about ownership, risk, and building real leverage through people, not process. In this episode, you get the unfiltered path from security guard to CHRO, what high-turnover environments actually teach you, why “say yes” beats perfect planning, and how networks quietly run your career whether you admit it or not. Key Takeaways: Jessica started in criminal justice and pivoted after realizing she hated enforcement work High-volume recruiting means constant churn. Casino dealers sometimes leave in weeks Early career lesson: figure out what you don’t want fast She spent ~8 years in recruiting before moving into HR leadership “Say yes” unlocked multiple promotions and stretch roles Booz Allen rotated roles every ~18 months to force growth Hybrid HR + recruiting roles create stronger business alignment COVID response included building a 24/7 grocery support system for seniors Headquarters exposure accelerates access to executives and decision-making Networks compound. Burn one bridge, it follows you for years Career growth came from discomfort, not planning Guest : Jessica Kozak | CHRO, Apex Analytics LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicakozak Builds and scales HR orgs across enterprise environments. Known for turning chaos into structure without losing the human side. Connect with Us : William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ WRKdefined Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Say Yes or Stay Average: The Career Advice By CHRO Jessica Kozak That Actually Works
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