After graduating in languages and journalism from Rostov university in Russia, she began her career as anchor of the TV channel in Rostov-on-Don. Returning to Tajikistan, she worked as editor-in-chief of the Mir regional TV and radio station, before joining IWPR and, in 2010, taking charge of a new radio project. Shahodat also lectures in journalism at the Tajik-Russian Slavonic University.