A Career in Tech Careers – Helping Others Find Their Way Everyday

Masha Finn
Merit America

What does a career coach actually do — and can they really help you get a job?

In this episode of What She Does, we talk with Masha Finn, a career coach at Merit America, where she supports people making significant career transitions through technical training programs. Masha works with clients across software development, IT support, UX design, and data analytics — helping them build the professional skills and confidence to compete in today’s challenging job market.

Masha opens up about her own winding path into career coaching — from a work-study job in her college Career Center, to a role in alumni mentoring, to completing a Master’s in Educational Psychology with a focus on career counseling — before landing where she is now: fully remote, working from home in Minnesota with a toddler nearby.

In this episode:

✦  What career coaching looks like day-to-day — the one-on-ones, the admin, and the emotional weight of sitting with someone through rejection
✦  Why coaching is a partnership, not a placement service — and what job seekers often misunderstand about the process
✦  How AI is reshaping resumes and cover letters, and why ‘this screams AI’ is feedback Masha finds herself giving more and more
✦  The unique challenges women face, particularly around career gaps, and how to own your story rather than apologize for it
✦  What it takes to negotiate with confidence and advocate for yourself, even in a tough market
✦  What Masha would tell her younger self — and why trusting your instincts beats putting yourself in a box

Whether you’re re-entering the workforce, switching industries, or just trying to understand what’s happening with your job search right now, this episode offers honest, grounded perspective from someone working on the front lines every day.

“Trust your instincts. Don’t try to push yourself into jobs that don’t feel like a good fit.” – Masha Finn

MBTI vibe: ENFJ / ESFJ / ENFP / INFJ
High emotional intelligence • Strong communication • Motivational orientation • Comfort with ambiguity • Coaching mindset • Adaptability • Cheerleader / Challenger

Listen to the full episode

Need to Know Facts*

* Bureau of Labor Statistics