@workdotdot
The Cheering
Section
Honored to work with these superstars,
creating a life they love - and you can, too
Jacob
“Using the resources of my undergraduate university I was able to quickly find a ‘job’ after graduating, but I was unhappy, had few professional development opportunities, and had no real direction regarding my long-term career goals.
After a few months working with Steph, I had a long-term career vision and I began a new career at a company I targeted because of the development opportunities. Over six years later, I’m still with the same company (now in a leadership role), I’m well on track for all my professional goals, and I have a career that I am happy with and proud of.
Not only did Steph help me form my vision for long-term career success, she helped me hone my job searching skills, taught me all sorts of search strategies, and helped me sustain my job search during a very challenging economic time. Most importantly, she refocused my job search into a career search and completely changed my job search paradigm. I spent less time searching for ‘a job’ and more time exploring the career that was right for me. I jump-started my career in ways that might have taken years to figure out on my own.
Steph empathizes with today’s job searchers in a meaningful way and offers guidance that most career coaches (who haven’t gone through a modern job search) can’t begin to understand. The goal of a Steph-directed job search is not just about a job...it’s a sustainable job search, itself, a healthy relationship with your career goals, sharp tactical skills for the long haul, mental endurance required to sustain your search, and ultimately a career you enjoy, are proud of, and can develop and succeed in. Choosing to work with Steph is choosing to reward yourself with the career search you deserve and invest in yourself with the career guidance you need.
You deserve so much credit as a job seeker. You are brave, persevering, and resourceful. And, you deserve to feel confident and accomplished both during and after your job search.”
Stacey
“I have turned to Steph, repeatedly, throughout my career for guidance and inspiration. There is no one who believes more sincerely in the importance of asking for what will truly make you feel valued in the workplace, and she can offer concrete advice on how to get it.
Since I have known Steph, I will not make a career move without asking her for help. She has counseled me through salary negotiations that seemed impossible at the time, and she gave me the confidence to leave a toxic work environment when I was too afraid to take a leap. Importantly, Steph has vast knowledge of career paths in both the public and private sectors. This is especially helpful when boilerplate career advice you may find online might not apply, for example, to a non-profit organization or a niche field.
She has exactly the right balance of compassion, realism, and imagination to help you craft and meet your career goals, and I can safely say I would not be in my dream job today without Steph's support.”
Kevin
“I recently decided that I wanted to change my career. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I needed a change. This was a big leap for me, because I’ve had job search processes that have been wildly unsuccessful, and I was taking a bit of a post-pandemic leap. Normally, I would have felt like I needed to do this on my own, but, fortunately, I’ve known Steph personally for many years and I knew that she was someone I could trust, especially when I was feeling down or pessimistic about the job search. I also knew that she would have an optimistic and positive attitude that I would need to have in my life as I went through this.
The first thing Steph and I did was retool my resume and cover letter. These were documents that I generally felt okay about, but Steph was able to see so many things that I couldn’t, and she offered great suggestions in terms of content and presentation. I really believe her insights made a huge difference. The last time I applied for jobs in this field, I only got one interview after maybe 60 applications. After working with Steph, I got over a dozen interviews in quick succession! She was able to draw out what really made me feel passionate about my field and she helped me communicate that in a way that clearly connected with hiring managers!
Searching for a new job at any stage in one’s career can be scary. Changing careers in your 40s can be even scarier. Steph really helped dispel my fears. She kept reminding me of my strengths and everything I could offer an organization. I needed to hear this, especially when I started to interview because she helped me learn how to sell myself in an honest way.
I had a great experience with Steph. Not because I already knew her, but because of who she is as a person. I might not have been as immediately comfortable with her if I hadn’t already known her, so I’m writing this in part for anyone working with Steph for the first time with reassurance to let you know that you should partner with Steph on this journey and be open with her about what you really want and what you’re really thinking. She is empathetic, caring, and inspiring. You will end a conversation with her feeling better about yourself and your prospects and with a list of things you can do in the next few days to help make your professional dreams come true!”
Soheil
“Having expertise in a variety of fields, Steph showed me how to revitalize my resume and make it acceptable to today's standards.
Steph gave me valuable feedback on word placement and grammar, making my resume sound more professional. She also guided me on the proper timeline placement of my experiences.
One of the best things Steph did was make my resume more succinct. This led to fewer words and a more precise, shorter resume, overall, which is what many companies want.
Steph is very personable. She listened to my own suggestions and collaborated with me to get me the final product I desired. Steph was readily available for consults and it made the experience personable and enjoyable. I would highly recommend her expertise to everyone."
Taylor
“I literally felt like I was on this treadmill (that so many college students/recent graduates are on) spinning out of control, applying to as many jobs as I could, even if they did not interest me that much. I was exhausted. I felt like I had so much experience but I could not get any callbacks and it was demotivating.
Steph completely flipped the script of any coach or counselor I have ever had. She helped me take a few steps back so that I could make huge jumps forward. She taught me so many things that no one talks about in the professional world after college. Most of all, Steph did not force me into looking at jobs I was not interested in. (So often, I feel like people tell you, ‘take whatever you can find.’) Instead, she helped me to conserve my energy and focus on jobs that really excited me.
Steph took the time to really get to know me! She listened so genuinely. Good listeners are incredibly hard to come by, but Steph is definitely one of them. She customized my job search perfectly. She listened to and supported some of my most dear passions. Instead of making me feel silly about my dreams, she encouraged me to follow them. I ultimately got a job working with a company that is all about what I love most.
During my search, Steph made me feel less alone! She truly become my coach and made me feel supported and confident in an activity that I had completely come to dread. Steph understands the person as a whole. What I mean by this, is that Steph understands that many aspects of a person’s life go into their ability to apply to jobs with confidence and receive callbacks from companies they are passionate about. For example, Steph is huge on promoting self-care, downtime, positive thinking, sleep schedule and exercise in addition to working on the resume, job searching and all the different aspects of professional development. I think many recent graduates, of my generation, struggle to remember to take care of and be kind to themselves. We tend to burn the candle at both ends, which becomes a problem because, eventually, the candle burns out. Steph helped me rebuild my candle and reignite my flame for job searching and my life calling, in general, by encouraging me to nourish all aspects of my life.
To be honest, I start to tear up a little bit when I think about it. Steph truly changed my life for the better. By helping me rewire my brain to think more kindly, positively and progressively about myself, Steph was able to help me move mountains. By changing my thoughts, I was able to change my actions and achieve things I didn't think were possible - it truly was a domino effect that helped me put the best version of myself out there. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am for this.
The number one thing that I love about Steph’s personality, in general, and coaching style is her unbreakable positivity. Steph chooses to see every challenge in life and in the job search through a lens of, how can we move forward or become better from this? How can we grow? Steph is quite literally the definition of keep moving forward.
Steph’s holistic approach to success will help you become a more positive, confident and self-assured person unafraid of a challenge. Whether you need to improve your resume, mental outlook or ability to accomplish your career goals, Steph has your back."
Kevin M.
"After graduating from college, I decided I wanted to get a job in the legal field, but I didn’t know where to start. I turned to Steph for guidance. She immediately reviewed my resume and cover letters targeted to potential employers.
Steph gave substantive, helpful feedback and coached me on how to approach and prepare for in-person and phone interviews. Most importantly, Steph provided helpful advice on all aspects of the job search process, everything from communication to salary negotiation.
These were lessons that I could not have learned in school and would have taken years to learn in the professional world, without someone like Steph.
After working for a few years at a law firm, I’m now in law school. I absolutely loved my first year. Although the work was extremely challenging, it was also rewarding to work towards something that I knew would be my future career.
I highly recommend Steph to any recent college graduate looking to start their career."
Brigham
“My success and career choices are completely attributed to the relationship I have built with Steph. She has been a mentor and a friend, helping me transition through various phases in my career path. Through her championship mindset, I have been able to add value to my strengths and diligently work on any weakness.
She provides exceptional value in her ability to offer concrete tools, build business relationships, and establish personal and professional growth. Steph has indoctrinated this level of resilience I have learned to embrace, because of her.
I am beyond grateful for the dedication, support and encouragement Steph continues to render. Without a doubt, Steph’s coaching has allowed me to be a more confident and fulfilled individual.”
Christine
“Steph is truly invested in who you are as a person – she listens closely with the intent to understand what makes you, you. She uses this to help you identify some key questions to ask yourself during your job search, and she coaches you through discovering the answers for yourself. Steph guides you through the journey of identifying who you are, what you want, and what makes you unique.
Last year, I was at a low point in my career in tech and was about ready to quit. Working with Steph allowed me to define what an ideal next job would look like for me, and then set tangible goals as I set off to find it. I'm so elated to now have a new job that meets every single aspect of what I had realized I wanted and needed in my career, and I know that my work with Steph was a crucial part of helping me reach this point.
Steph is someone you will want to have in your corner for years to come. She truly has a gift for empathy and encouragement which, combined with her rich career experience and top-tier education, makes her the most incredible career coach and mentor.”
Aris
“Being at an experienced level in my career, and looking to move into the executive ranks, I wasn’t sure where to turn in my job search. While I was having a positive experience in my current job, I had been there for a number of years and felt there was more I could achieve in my career. Having known Steph as a very effective communicator, great listener, and just very easy to talk to, it felt natural to reach out to her when contemplating my next move. Many resources I had considered seemed to focus primarily on entry to mid-level career searches, while effective services that were focused on executive level (especially in my field of analytics) were harder to come by or seemed more transactional in nature, focusing on the placement of the candidate.
Steph offers a holistic approach with personalized strategies, delving into my greater motivations and goals for my life and career, rather than simply finding a place that will give me a raise and promotion. Her highly personalized approach made for very thought-provoking, introspective conversations that helped crystallize what I really wanted out of my next position, and identified the steps it would take to find that opportunity.
I had grown comfortable with my resume and LinkedIn profile, which I had leveraged for new job opportunities in the past. Steph discussed these in detail with me, and helped me realize that while these may have been effective before, they needed to better reflect my desire for executive roles. In hindsight, my resume and LinkedIn honestly needed a major overhaul in format and content in order to better market my executive leadership capabilities.
Sure enough, soon after incorporating Steph’s recommended changes, I started seeing more opportunities come my way. Within three months after my first session with Steph, I landed an offer for an executive role! And in the middle of the pandemic no less, as Steph helped me steer through the new factors that recruiters and employers are considering, especially in the work from home environments which have become more commonplace.
Steph brings a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of the career search, both from the perspective of recruiters/employers as well as job seekers. I thought that after many years in my career of recruiting and interviewing candidates myself, I had seen a lot. But Steph opened my eyes to how much the job search process has evolved, including the role of artificial intelligence. She gives open, sincere, and personalized feedback, based on what works in today’s job market, and is knowledgeable across a wide variety of industries. I appreciated Steph’s straightforward, honest approach which ultimately helped drive results, as opposed to someone telling me what I wanted to hear but not necessarily helping me move the needle on my search.
My advice for fellow professionals and career seekers is to regularly assess your goals, strengths and weaknesses, and what’s most important to you. If your current role checks all the boxes, then great! Though if you feel there may be more out there for you to achieve, don’t be afraid to explore it, and put in the research (and the work) needed to attain your next goals. And I highly recommend Steph as a great resource for helping you achieve those goals!"
Devin
“Steph’s experience as a hiring manager gives her a unique perspective that few job seekers or career coaches have. This insight allows her to guide candidates through every step of the process and develop into more desirable hires.
Her coaching is incredibly insightful. Her advice was always practical yet encouraging enough to push me beyond my comfort zone and eventually into a role with a premier entertainment organization.
Steph’s knowledge of hiring practices helped me develop go-to strategies that not only guided me through an increasingly competitive job market impacted by a global pandemic but helped me understand how to use the situation to my advantage.
Furthermore, Steph uniquely shaped the approach to address my specific needs and professional desires. She took the time to empathize and understand my professional struggles, helping me create a job search plan that boosted my confidence, communicated my value, and supported my work goals.
More importantly, Steph genuinely cared about my professional goals. Throughout my entire experience, she always took a sincere interest in my success and overall development.
I highly encourage any professional, seasoned or entry-level, to work with Steph in your career search. It will be a vital investment in your professional journey that will pay you back fivefold.”
Amy
“In talking with Steph about my career progression, she focused on my individual story and goals and helped me think through how to present my assets in the most authentic way to me, versus allowing words on a resume to do the talking for me. It was clear to me she’d taken the time to learn about me as a person and developed a plan for me prior to our conversations, so I never felt like merely a representative of a certain demographic.
I honestly think Steph has more confidence and assurance in me than I did in myself. The fact that she saw my value so enthusiastically enabled me to see it, too, which gave me the extra courage I needed to move forward with the job opportunity in front of me.
One thing I really valued about Steph’s approach is her own experience in the working world. She has first-hand knowledge of so many of the issues we discussed, which made her coaching all the more salient since I knew her advice came from a place of lived truth.
Now that I am a few months into my new executive role after Steph coached me through the process from applying to negotiating the offer, I am so grateful I was able to tap into her expertise and insights and have her as a champion.”
