From Campus to Culture

How Kaila Kowalski Reclaimed Her Career and Confidence

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What were you doing before your career pivot (your role and industry)?

I was working as an Assistant Director for Residence Life & Education in University Housing in Higher Education

What are you doing now?

Director, People & Culture at an Influencer Marketing Agency. I started as Manager, Workplace Culture & Communications. 

What fears or roadblocks did you face when making the leap?

I was stalled in my departure from Higher Education because I was beholden to the idea of loyalty to my workplace, especially to my colleagues and students. I felt we were “in it” together, even through the messy parts. I had taken ownership of the happiness of others in my workplace, and as a result, I felt the burden of responsibility to stay in a toxic work environment. I barely had any time to job search as I was fulfilling/backfilling four full-time positions, which led to working most nights and many weekends. I was drowning and struggled to prioritize job searching in my limited non-working time. I also felt like I had invested my entire career and education into Higher Education, the idea of pivoting from that was intimidating. Education felt stable and secure with clear paths for career growth, but corporate life seemed unpredictable and confusing. 

How did you go about making the pivot - aka what steps did you take?

I forced myself to make time for a job search. I started by perusing postings while I was between meetings, walking the dog, making dinner, literally whenever. I knew I had amazing transferable skills, but no idea how to apply them outside of university housing. This was in the COVID era, when everyone was into the concept of cleaning out your closet and only keeping things that brought you joy. Although I couldn’t do that for my closet, I took that concept and applied it to my work life. I assessed which parts of my job truly brought me joy, and I realized it was all focused on helping people grow, adding moments of joy, and supporting people and programs to be the best possible. My first consideration was for a recruiter role (as this was part of my current job). From there, I started picking up on keywords in job descriptions. Eventually, I discovered 'talent management,' which led me to more jobs that I hadn’t thought about before. I made a list of keywords that seemed interesting to me: Talent Management, Team Management, People Operations, Employee Experience, Culture, etc. I went down "other jobs like this" rabbit holes until I found a job titled "Culture and Communications". I didn't hear anything back from that first application, but now I knew that job existed. Getting a 0% response rate for recruiter roles was also devastating because I was doing full-cycle recruitment for students (grad and undergrad) and full-time professionals. I stumbled upon IZEA and saw they were searching for a "Manager, Workplace Culture & Communications" - I applied immediately. 

What surprised you most about the transition (good or bad)?

Honestly, through my interviews, I felt validated in my experience in a way I never felt before. In Higher Education, I was one of a dozen at my level, and across the state/region/nation, there were thousands. I never felt like an expert, but bringing my insight into a corporate environment helped me realize that I was much more advanced in areas than I originally thought. It fueled me to learn more and bring more, so I could pass along my knowledge to others and contribute to this incredible company and team. I also recognized that much of the work I led in Higher Education aligned seamlessly with the goals of Employee Experience and People & Culture. I was able to draw clear connections between the two worlds, especially in areas like team building, engagement, and operational excellence, which affirmed that my background wasn’t just relevant, it was deeply valuable in a corporate setting.

What do you love about where you’ve landed now?

The people. I am somehow closer and more connected to my fully remote teammates (who I see maybe once per year) than I was with some colleagues I lived and worked alongside in Higher Education. There’s an authenticity and intentionality to the relationships here that’s hard to describe but easy to feel. It’s such an incredible opportunity I have to be able to help make work feel a little more human, joyful, and fulfilling every single day. Also, I was given the creative freedom to design the roadmap for my position, with exactly the right balance of support. It was exactly what I needed to feel confident enough to shoot for the stars as well as feel comfortable enough to make mistakes and learn through experience. 

What do you wish more people knew about making a big shift?

You know more than you give yourself credit for. When you're deep in a role or a particular field, it’s easy to overlook how transferable your skills really are. Take a step back and assess what you’ve done - e.g., facilitated difficult conversations, led projects, built systems, supported teams, solved problems. Those skills are valuable everywhere. Identify what brings you joy and what you feel good doing. If it’s hard to see for yourself, ask a trusted colleague or mentor what they see as your strengths. You might be surprised by what others notice and appreciate in you. Sometimes, all it takes is seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes to realize you’re more than ready for that next step.

What have you learned about yourself since making this leap?

I have a lot more to offer than I ever thought. I had a hard time accepting compliments when I first started this job. Whenever someone would compliment me on my work, I would instantly brush it off, but I've realized that when you truly love what you do, it may simply come naturally, and that's okay. I’ve learned to embrace my talents and keep working on myself while staying humble and continuing to improve. 

What advice would you give someone who’s considering a career pivot right now?

It can't hurt to try. Take stock of your resources and think through the long-term plan - is this a path you truly see yourself in? The answer doesn't have to be a perfect yes, but at least know the answer before you begin. Then, honestly, go for it! If it's something you want to invest in, don’t be afraid to dive in, join networks, set up meet and greets, read articles, get certifications, and do anything you can to feel confident. In my first two years at IZEA, I met with over 50 people, most I’d never known before. I didn't think I had anything truly meaningful to contribute, but my story seemed helpful to the people I was talking to. Your value and worth are never defined by a job, they’re defined by who you are. So, bring yourself to everything you do, try your best, and don't give up!

Want to follow Kaila’s next chapter? Find her on LinkedIn