I give you my highest recommendation for Phyllis Stein as Career Counselor and Career Coach.

I first met Phyllis in 2002 when I was at a post-graduate-school crossroads.  She helped me find a wonderful, engaging job at Boston Children's Hospital which I held for six years, and then, during two other significant career transitions in the past decade I sought Phyllis's help again, and with her expert guidance found positions that were tailor-made for my career goals and family life.

Phyllis's skills and approach are extraordinary, not only due to her years of experience counseling people from all walks of life, but also because of her tremendous insight, creative problem-solving, and compassionate heart. An example of one of Phyllis's many useful strategies is a Survey-Your-Friends exercise. When I was struggling to hone in on career choices, she had me reach out to several close friends and ask them to write a reflection on my skills, talents, and values. The thoughtful notes shared by this small group of people who knew me well turned out to be invaluable in focusing the scope of my job search, and providing moral support as well.

At a later crossroads, when moving from one department in Boston Children's Hospital to another, where I ended up working for an additional seven years, Phyllis helped me advocate for a family-friendly work life and salary, which made parenting young children while maintaining a career path not only possible, but also healthy and sustainable. With a depth of expertise Phyllis guided me in the language of contract and salary negotiations, and demonstrated how to take a clear, positive approach to those conversations.

On the two thankfully rare occasions when I had a human resources issue to contend with, Phyllis again provided well-reasoned and useful advice, allowing me to navigate those situations diplomatically, come to a resolution, and move on.

Most recently, with my children entering their teen years, I returned to school for a second graduate degree, and worked with Phyllis again to find my current position at Tufts University, where I'm an Educational Technology Specialist providing in-house consulting to faculty using technology for teaching and learning.  As I approach my first work anniversary, I'm delighted to report that I love my job, my colleagues, the university, and the work-life balance the position provides.

​

(Freedom B., May 2018)