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BRIAN SCOTT, Financial education specialist
Job: Financial education specialist, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Atlanta, Clarkston
What I do: If you have financial questions, Brian Scott has answers. Scott, 39, leads seminars and workshops on money management, credit and homeownership. One of the biggest problems people have is money management.
"It's making sure they keep track of spending," he said. "Most people don't have a spending plan, and they don't know what to expect."
Scott tells people how credit works, the details of the credit reporting system and the story on credit scores. He also works with the Georgia Department of Labor, conducting workshops to help people who are out of work. The process involves more than just finding a job, he explained; it's also dealing with stress, managing money and finding the right kinds of help.
Most of CCCS's seminars, workshops and counseling services are free to the public. In its debt-management program, the nonprofit agency will negotiate with creditors for lower interest rates, fee waivers and other considerations for debtors. Costs for its debt-management program are based on how much is disbursed to creditors, while the agency charges a fixed fee for bankruptcy counseling.
What got me interested in this: Scott, who has a bachelor's degree in accounting, said he began working as a student counselor at a community college in Rhode Island, where he told prospective students about financial aid, the SAT and study skills. He worked part time with CCCS there.
He came to Atlanta on vacation and applied on the spot for a position with CCCS here. "I never looked back," he said.
Best part of my job: "Knowing I've been able to change people's lives," Scott said.
Overwhelming debt and other financial worries "will cause people to become depressed," he said. "I have made a difference in improving their former situation. . . . If you don't handle your finances properly, you're in a situation where you don't have many options."
Most challenging part: "Maintaining my schedule, driving around to many sites and preparing for many different workshops," he said.
One Saturday, Scott was on his cellphone constantly, balancing separate presentations in Atlanta and Clarkston, giving directions to presenters and finding a replacement for a facilitator who didn't show up. And that was before lunch. Scott says his schedule makes it challenging to eat healthy -- he carries fruit and other healthy food with him -- and stay fit.
He also finds it a challenge to speak to groups who are not at a seminar voluntarily, including out-of-work people and those facing mandatory financial counseling.
What people don't know about my job: "We speak to thousands of people each year, and we offer various services," Scott said. "We're not just a debt-management plan agency."
Besides dealing with debt and credit, the agency provides counseling and workshops for first-time home buyers as well as programs for homeless people and people undergoing treatment for substance abuse.
What keeps me going: "I'm an outgoing person who likes to speak to people, see people get something out of these presentations -- help them turn their lives around," Scott said.
Preparation needed for this job: "You need good skills in public speaking, understanding audiences and the material," Scott said. In addition, "you have to be able to build rapport with the people you're speaking to -- to persuade them that what you have to say is in their best interest."
You also need solid knowledge of the credit system and money management. Counselors have bachelor's degrees and are certified through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling in seven different topics.
- By Karl Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@ajc.com.
