B Jaye Burchfiel has more than 20 years of strategic HR experience translating business visions into actionable, value-added goals. Throughout her impressive career, Burchfiel has held myriad leadership roles, including serving as HR director for Vyne Dental, as well as HR director roles for both the Marine Accessories Corporation and ATI, Inc.
Currently, Burchfiel serves as Executive Director of HR for IT-training school MyComputerCareer. In her role, Burchfiel leads the online and in-campus technical college’s HR initiatives including recruitment, retention and development, and supporting and counseling senior management.
We recently connected with Burchfiel to discuss how she got her start in the industry, her best mistake, and advice for those entering HR. According to Burchfiel, there’s always something to learn.
“I must stress how important lifelong learning is in this field,” she shared with HR Daily Advisor. “There is, undoubtedly, always something to learn. Diving into the latest guidance and discussions on DEI would be a great example. There’s simply no way to fully understand this important initiative without continually educating yourself. And this doesn’t necessarily have to include a course or a huge time commitment. Listen to a podcast, join a webinar, attend industry events and meetings, and immerse yourself in the discussion. The professional growth and confidence you gain from doing so is invaluable.”
In our latest Faces, meet B Jaye Burchfiel.
How did you get your start in the field?
My career has been nothing traditional. I started out as an executive assistant for a large corporation, and during this time, I realized my passion for people and wanting to make an impact. In human resources, you get to touch many parts of the business, and I knew that was the area I wanted to focus on. I started my education in the field and gained experience as a generalist under some amazing mentors, and the rest was history.
What’s your best mistake and what did you learn from it?
Early on in my career, I made the mistake of believing that HR is a “one size fits all.” While there are some rules we must follow, a solution to a problem will often vary depending on the circumstances. Over the years, I have learned that you must understand the organization and see what fits and works. You aren’t always going to know the right answer, and I have learned the difference between conveying information and impacting change.
It sounds like through your experience you really care about people, and you want to help them feel safe and comfortable, which is important in the industry. Please elaborate here.
Love this question, as this is a key role an HR department plays in an organization. By ensuring safety procedures and health policies, we can boost employee satisfaction not only by improving morale but also by creating a productive workforce, which improves quality, efficiency, and profitability for an organization.
What are you most proud of?
Working in HR can be hard but also very rewarding. Being able to serve and support our biggest asset—our people—is certainly the best part. Seeing employees succeed is, by far, what I am most proud of, and just having the opportunity to have a small impact on an employee’s success is very rewarding.
Do you have any advice for people entering the profession?
Find a great mentor. I have been lucky enough in my career to have several mentors who have paved the way to success for me.
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