Her Story
About Shelly
Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE, CMCS, CDF, JCDC, and JCTC, is an accomplished career development professional, human resources expert, educator, speaker, writer, and association professional with more than 30 years of experience. As the founder of Your Career Collaborator, LLC, she provides career coaching and consulting to a diverse range of clients, from high school and college students to mid-career professionals, C-suite executives, and retirees. She has been recognized as one of the Top 15 Career Coaches in San Antonio for 2026 and previously received recognition as one of the Top 15 Coaches in Louisville. Her expertise combines extensive HR knowledge with a deep understanding of career development, allowing her to provide clients with practical insight into employer expectations, job searches, professional branding, and career transitions.
Throughout her career, Shelly has made significant contributions to higher education and professional associations. She spent 17 years with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), where she supported HR professionals and volunteer leaders across a six-state territory, developed professional development programs, facilitated training, supported membership growth, and worked extensively with volunteer boards and association leadership. She has also taught career planning and development courses at Indiana University Southeast for nearly two decades, covering resumes, interviewing, networking, internships, business etiquette, LinkedIn, job-search strategies, and professional development. In addition, she has worked as an HR and training contractor, provided outplacement services, developed educational programs, and served in numerous volunteer and leadership roles within career development and HR organizations.
A passionate advocate for lifelong learning, mentoring, and volunteerism, Shelly is also a published author and frequent conference speaker on HR and career development topics. She has written more than 20 published works, including articles and book chapters, and has served as an editor for scholarly journals and professional publications. Her professional philosophy emphasizes meaningful career fulfillment, continuous learning, relationship building, and giving back to the community. She strongly encourages professionals, particularly younger workers, to become involved in volunteer boards, committees, mentoring programs, and professional associations because these experiences build skills, demonstrate initiative, expand networks, and can create new career opportunities. Through her coaching, teaching, writing, and volunteer leadership, Shelly continues to help people navigate their careers while contributing to the broader HR and career development professions.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shelly
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to how I was raised, especially by my mother. We grew up with very little, and as a single mother in the 1970s and 1980s, she worked hard to provide for us while constantly pushing me to pursue a better future. She always told me I was going to college and that I was going to be successful. Her determination, encouragement, and belief in me instilled the same drive and resilience in me. Ultimately, I credit my mother for teaching me to work hard, persevere through challenges, and believe that I could achieve more than my circumstances might have suggested.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I have received is that I should become an involved volunteer to give back to my professional community, build my network, and learn new skills. I have made a career from volunteering, as I was a long-time volunteer for SHRM before I was hired by them to work with their volunteers. My career came full circle through volunteering!
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women entering the industry to get involved in volunteering, especially by serving on boards and committees. Volunteering has helped me and others earn promotions and discover new career opportunities because it allows people to see your skills, determination, leadership, and motivation firsthand. It also gives you the chance to build meaningful relationships within your career space. While social media can help with visibility, volunteering allows you to demonstrate that you are willing to contribute, take initiative, and produce meaningful work without expecting immediate financial reward. Those experiences can set you apart and ultimately lead to new opportunities and jobs.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
AI on both the candidates' side and the employers' side. HR professionals use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs), which is basically AI, to sort through candidate applications, matching submitted resumes to job descriptions. Candidates are using AI to write resumes and cover letters. However, most HR professionals can tell when submissions were written by AI, and are leery of hiring someone who may not be able to write well, communicate, persuade, etc. It's a double-edged sword.
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