~~ Want to submit a listener question to be answered on the show?  DM @theartofspeakingup on Instagram or email [email protected] ~~

Job searching can be tough.  It is time consuming, at times discouraging, and can often put our self-esteem to the test.  This is why I was so excited to sit down and chat with job-search coach Shea O’Dell Scott – not just about the process itself, but about the difficult feelings that job searching and interviewing can often elicit. 

Shea has built a successful career in the fashion (and now interior design industry), but like many, she struggled to land her very first job out of college.  Now, she’s turned her own early job search struggles into a mission-driven side hustle: in addition to juggling her full-time job in interior design, Shea coaches clients with the goal of helping them land their very first job. 

But Shea is so much more than a career coach.  Her vision for the work that she does was built off of the internal struggles that she faced when trying to land her first job.  She does more than just help her clients with their resumes, applications, and interview prep – Shea helps them stay motivated, confident, and self-assured through the interview process. 

What I love so much about Shea and her work is that she takes a strengths-based, compassionate approach to working with her clients.  She understands that job searching can mean so much more to us than it might appear on the surface – in many ways, the job search process can feel like it is mirroring our value and self-worth back to us as we await replies from employers, negotiate salary, and push through rounds of challenging interviews. 

In this conversation, Shea and I discuss everything from feeling scared to negotiate salary, to job search tips, to staying strong and confident through the search process.  Shea also answers a question from a listener who is feeling discouraged after several weeks of unsuccessful job searching.  Shea shares encouragement and tactical tips to help the listener stay strong and land the job she is wanting for herself. 

If you to learn more about Shea, her Instagram is @goyouguide and her website is www.goyouguide.com

Want to get in touch?  Come chat with Jess on Instagram at @theartofspeakingup or email [email protected].