UC Berkeley Psychology alumna Britt Sellin says the social science theories she learned as a Berkeley Social Sciences student — such as researching how people think and behave — have been essential to her 30-plus-year career as a human resources leader in the tech industry.
Sellin’s long career in HR has been focused on high-growth tech companies, with her holding senior positions at Cloudera, VMware and Sun Microsystems. Now, Sellin is a professional coach and mentor, as well as an advisor at SproutsAI, an AI agent platform that automates business processes.
Along with her professional accomplishments, Sellin remains very involved at Cal — she is co-chair of the UC Berkeley Women in Leadership Circle, Peninsula and an avid supporter of the Social Sciences Career Readiness Internship Program (SSCRIP), where she recently participated in an alumni panel in which she shared career insights with SSCRIP students.
Sellin spoke to UC Berkeley Social Sciences about how she applied her academic studies at Cal to her career and her advice for early-career professionals. This interview has been edited for clarity.
Tell us about your background and career.
Britt Sellin: I grew up with two parents who were academics. Their assumption was that their kids would go on to get a Ph.D. in something...anything! I was a psychology major at Cal and decided a Ph.D. in psychology, with the various career paths it afforded, was not for me. I thought I would enjoy it, but it turns out I did not! I fell into a human resources career and loved it.
One thing that people don't realize about HR is that there is an enormous amount of variety in that career. Often people only associate HR with bureaucrats; but really, you are a business person that just happens to have the business of people as your focus. You get to work across all different business units at both a strategic level as well as more tactical, tangible levels like developing programs and supporting infrastructure. You are driving motivation and productivity that benefit both the company and the people. It is a very unique role at the leadership level. I loved it.
How did your time at Cal and your major prepare you for your career?
Britt Sellin: I always felt like Cal's curriculum encouraged critical thinking, being open to new ideas and building one's confidence to see things differently. Focusing on psychology was so fun because the studies of how people thought and behaved were very interesting. My career allowed me to continue to seek out and learn new theories of how people think so that I could apply them in ways that helped both the employees and the company. Without the foundation I received from Cal, I'm not sure I would have been quite so rigorous in searching out the academic studies that I applied in my career.
In terms of career advice for our Social Sciences students, what are the most important skills and qualities for young professionals to develop?
Britt Sellin: Every employer wants the same thing: someone who is smart, applies themselves, works hard, does more than the minimum and gets along with people. Being a Cal student means you are smart, you have had to apply yourself and work hard to succeed. Social Sciences students typically have a leg up on some of the more STEM-focused majors because they tend to be more interested in people.
My one piece of advice is: think about what the goal is for whatever you are asked to do at work, and align your work and output to that. Sometimes you get assigned things that are not quite aligned to the goal. Don't just execute — think first and then execute. Don't be afraid to ask questions about what you are asked to do. You've learned how to ask good questions at Cal — use that skill to your advantage.
How can Berkeley Social Sciences graduates use their experiences at Cal to prepare for successful careers?
Britt Sellin: First, your experiences at Cal will already prepare you for the hard work and drive it takes to have a successful career. I also recommend students broaden their interests and experiences outside of their major as well. This will help them see a broader picture than if they are very narrowly focused. Most careers require cross collaboration with other teams and departments. Having more experience across different areas will allow you to have a unique perspective that will help you stand out.
What are things early-career professionals should avoid if they are seeking advancement and promotion?
Britt Sellin: The biggest issue I've seen in my career is people asking for advancement or promotion because they think it is "fair". Maybe a peer got promoted or received a bigger raise or...whatever. This is not what employers pay for. They pay you for the value you bring to the table. So if you are seeking advancement and promotion, make sure you are adding value to whatever you are doing — even if what you are doing is a very limited entry-level job. For example, how can the job be streamlined? Or how can the role be changed so it provides more value to the "customer"? "Customers" can be your boss, your peers, external customers, another department, etc.
Use your critical thinking skills in your job even if you are not asked to do so. If you are bringing value, the money and promotions will follow. They may not be on your exact timeline, but they will come. If you feel you are providing value and it is being overlooked, do some research and understand what someone in your position should be paid out in the market and what the title should be. Once you have completed this research, you have two options: 1) have a conversation with your manager on the value you bring and what the market will pay for that value, and/or 2) find another job where you get paid what you think you deserve. You will be working for a long time. It is not a race. Focus on the impact you want to have versus the money you want to make. The money will come.