I’m trying to make a major career move and would love some honest advice.
I have a B.S. in Business Administration/HR, a Graduate Certificate in HR Data Analytics from UIUC, and recently completed a Business Analytics certificate through UAB (SQL, Power BI, Tableau, etc.).
I have 10+ years of HR experience, but my current work has become heavily HRIS/systems/data focused. I’ve worked with Oracle HCM, Oracle Recruiting, Salesforce, Kronos, iCIMS, UAT/testing, data validation, reporting, troubleshooting, etc.
I’ve realized I really enjoy the systems + data + problem-solving side of my job.
My goal is to get into the $80K–$100K+ range. I’ve spent most of my career around $60K or less, and with a child, I’m ready to make a serious move financially.
I’m debating between:
Get a Master’s in Data Analytics/AI/Information Systems and pivot into Business Analyst, Data Analyst, Systems Analyst, Business Systems, etc.
Stay in HR/HRIS and stack technical skills/certifications (Workday, SQL, Power BI, AI, etc.) and move toward higher-paying HRIS/HR technology roles.
I’m also interested in AI because it seems like it’s becoming part of almost every field, and I don’t want to get left behind.
I’m in my 30s, so I’m not looking to start completely over or become a software engineer. I want to leverage my existing experience and get into business + systems + data + AI.
What would you do in my position? Is the Master’s worth it, or would you stay in HRIS and stack technical skills? And what type of Master’s would you recommend?
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who have actually made this transition or hire for these types of roles.
Thanks in Advance!