#283: Intentional Career Management with Olya Yakzhina

The Career Change Maker Podcast I Career Change, Career Advancement & Leadership Development

🎙️ Episode Overview

HR is evolving — and with it, the roles of managers, employees, and People leaders.

In this episode, I sit down with Olya Yakzhina, People Director at Switchee, who shares her unique journey from psychology to leadership in HR.

Olya dives deep into how internal mobility, feedback, and community-building are shaping the future of work. We explore how personal growth, even through discomfort, can lead to transformation — and why supporting managers is a non-negotiable for a thriving workplace culture.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ Resilience in the HR Journey: How Olya’s career path and love for startups shaped her people-first leadership style.

✅ Internal Mobility & Value Exchange: Why empowering employees to grow from within starts with trust, clarity, and mutual value.

✅ Supporting Managers to Strengthen Culture: How mentorship, feedback, and community-building help create more engaged, empowered teams.

Action Steps:

💡 Reflect on how internal mobility and feedback show up in your current role or team.

💡 Explore ways to support managers in your organisation — mentorship, training, or community can go a long way.

💡 Consider how value exchange applies to your career growth and workplace relationships.

Resources:

• Work with Janine
• Career Change Maker Website
• Join the Career Navigator weekly email series
• Follow Janine Esbrand on Instagram
• Connect with Janine Esbrand on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to Janine Esbrand's YouTube Channel
• Olya Yakzhina’s LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Supercharge Your Career Course (Olya’s LinkedIn Post)
• Supercharge Your Career (free course)
• The Modern Employer Podcast

👉 Subscribe, Share, and Leave a Review

If you’re on a journey to elevate your leadership and make a greater impact, hit subscribe to the Career Change Maker Podcast. Share this episode with your network, and leave a review to help more professionals discover the show and achieve their leadership goals.

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🎙️ Celebrate 300 Episodes with Us – Join the Live Podcast Recording!

We’re bringing the Career Change Maker Podcast to life to mark reaching our 300th episode milestone — and you’re invited!

Join host Janine Esbrand and guests for a special live recording and celebration in London, where they’ll be sharing meaningful insights about making purpose-driven career pivots and aligning your career with what matters most.