How Do I Use This Guide?

However you want!

This book is meant to be used not just read. It was designed to help you decide if people analytics is a good career choice for you. Either as a main focus of your career or as a skill set you apply within your broader career interests. And, to provide you with ideas, actions, and inspiration to build knowledge, skills, and a career that aligns with your passions and will be exciting for a long time to come.

This guide focuses on people analytics skills and ways you can utilize them in your career. It does not answer “What is people analytics?” in an academic way, nor does it teach techniques or methods (there are lots of great books that do that). It is meant to be personal and interactive. Throughout the book, you will find sections labeled “Explore & Engage” containing practical exercises, thought-provoking questions, and real-world scenarios for you to apply. There are also “Self-Discovery” sections where you can assess your strengths, chart your growth, reflect on progress, and set goals for skill development. You will get the most out of this guide if you complete all the interactive activities and save copies of what you discover in each activity. When creating your career map and action plans at the end of the guide, you will return to the information created through the activities earlier in the guide. Find downloadable templates at heatherwhiteman.com/pa-career-guide.

This guide was designed so that each step builds on one another. However, feel free to jump around to the topics you are most intrigued by, struggling with, or motivated towards for advice and inspiration.