Shawn Scott is an executive assistant at Chanel, Inc., and she has worked in this position for eight years. Her pursuit of a career in human resources led her to take on HR positions at three companies in the past, including Morgan Stanley, Core Staffing, and Chanel. When she was offered her current position, she took it hoping to build her understanding of how an organization functions and in turn better inform her work in HR in the future.
1. Can you provide a brief overview of your career – positions, companies, etc.? What motivated you to pursue this career path?
Honestly, I’m working on my career that I didn’t know I wanted up to a few years ago. I have known from a young age I wanted to work in business; wasn’t sure in what capacity, but in the last decade I have discovered it’s Human Resources. My original career path was music business; I wanted to be an A&R executive (find and develop the artist). I didn’t know much about HR when I took a temp assignment with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Like most people, I viewed HR as the department that handles the paperwork and difficult employee issues. While working at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, I learned that HR is A&R on a much larger scope. In HR you assist the entire company in recruiting, training and development, compensation, benefits, employee relations and succession planning to name a few functions. But I detoured a little, and became one of the executive assistants to the Global CEO, of Chanel. I worked in Chanel’s HR department prior to this position. I always wanted to understand why and how things worked (first-hand) in the organization from the top down, to better understanding the decision-making by the top executives for the company. So when I got the call, I took the opportunity to get the inside view. I’ve learned a lot and have an improved perspective for Human Resources in the future.
2. Can you provide a brief overview of your education and how it did, or did not, prepare you for your career?
I am one year from completing my bachelor in Business Management at SUNY Empire State College. With years of work experience under my belt, it has helped with my course working. From a high school point-of-view, my education did and didn’t prepare me for my career. I attended Park West High School, in Manhattan. Park West was a vocational school that you could study a trade like automotive, and pretty much start working right out of high school. Times were a little different, back then business management and human resources weren’t high school programs. However, my basic academics provided the necessary foundation to my success in the direction I went right out of high school, but did not focus on the many different career options out there.
3. Could you describe your experience with 4T’s and how it may have benefited you?
My experience with 4T’s has been on a small-scale. I was one of a few people who had the honor to hear Mr. Bentley’s dream of changing the minds and showing the youth in our community their potential for a brighter future, from the beginning. Knowing someone values your experience and insight, to ask to be a part of they dream is a benefit. All people want to be part of something, and having the chance to be part of such a wonderful cause and organization has been a privilege, even on a small-scale.
4. Why should someone consider participating in 4T’s programs or learning more about the organization?
4T’s is an organization that will provide a new platform for kids to connect with people who come from a similar background, help them stay on track with their education, future dreams and experiences through some of their toughest years. Like the proverb says: “It take a whole village to raise a child.” The organization combines education, creativity and career services under one institution, to help kids know how important it is to have a passion, plan, and how to stick with it to achieve the success for their future.
5. In your own words, why is receiving an education important?
Education is the first exposure we receive for so many things. It allows us to dream, explore, question, and prepare us for the many different things and fields of employment that exist. It also give us a way to know the history of the world, what we got right, wrong, and can help us make better choices for the future. Education also allows us to know there is more out there in the world than what we see in our day-to-day.
6. What advice would you give to yourself in high school?
Don’t let your circumstances hold you back, dream big and execute no matter what!
-Hope Swedeen
Please share your reactions to this professional’s experiences.
1. Can you provide a brief overview of your career – positions, companies, etc.? What motivated you to pursue this career path?
Honestly, I’m working on my career that I didn’t know I wanted up to a few years ago. I have known from a young age I wanted to work in business; wasn’t sure in what capacity, but in the last decade I have discovered it’s Human Resources. My original career path was music business; I wanted to be an A&R executive (find and develop the artist). I didn’t know much about HR when I took a temp assignment with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Like most people, I viewed HR as the department that handles the paperwork and difficult employee issues. While working at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, I learned that HR is A&R on a much larger scope. In HR you assist the entire company in recruiting, training and development, compensation, benefits, employee relations and succession planning to name a few functions. But I detoured a little, and became one of the executive assistants to the Global CEO, of Chanel. I worked in Chanel’s HR department prior to this position. I always wanted to understand why and how things worked (first-hand) in the organization from the top down, to better understanding the decision-making by the top executives for the company. So when I got the call, I took the opportunity to get the inside view. I’ve learned a lot and have an improved perspective for Human Resources in the future.
2. Can you provide a brief overview of your education and how it did, or did not, prepare you for your career?
I am one year from completing my bachelor in Business Management at SUNY Empire State College. With years of work experience under my belt, it has helped with my course working. From a high school point-of-view, my education did and didn’t prepare me for my career. I attended Park West High School, in Manhattan. Park West was a vocational school that you could study a trade like automotive, and pretty much start working right out of high school. Times were a little different, back then business management and human resources weren’t high school programs. However, my basic academics provided the necessary foundation to my success in the direction I went right out of high school, but did not focus on the many different career options out there.
3. Could you describe your experience with 4T’s and how it may have benefited you?
My experience with 4T’s has been on a small-scale. I was one of a few people who had the honor to hear Mr. Bentley’s dream of changing the minds and showing the youth in our community their potential for a brighter future, from the beginning. Knowing someone values your experience and insight, to ask to be a part of they dream is a benefit. All people want to be part of something, and having the chance to be part of such a wonderful cause and organization has been a privilege, even on a small-scale.
4. Why should someone consider participating in 4T’s programs or learning more about the organization?
4T’s is an organization that will provide a new platform for kids to connect with people who come from a similar background, help them stay on track with their education, future dreams and experiences through some of their toughest years. Like the proverb says: “It take a whole village to raise a child.” The organization combines education, creativity and career services under one institution, to help kids know how important it is to have a passion, plan, and how to stick with it to achieve the success for their future.
5. In your own words, why is receiving an education important?
Education is the first exposure we receive for so many things. It allows us to dream, explore, question, and prepare us for the many different things and fields of employment that exist. It also give us a way to know the history of the world, what we got right, wrong, and can help us make better choices for the future. Education also allows us to know there is more out there in the world than what we see in our day-to-day.
6. What advice would you give to yourself in high school?
Don’t let your circumstances hold you back, dream big and execute no matter what!
-Hope Swedeen
Please share your reactions to this professional’s experiences.
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