What Does A Career Coach Do?
These days you can find a coach to provide support and guidance for anything from plant care to punctuation. But coaching’s origins are based in the corporate world, designed to help employees, leaders in particular, grow the skills they need to succeed. Executive, career, and business coaches remain among the most prevalent type of coaches out there today. But just because they’re out there, doesn’t mean it’s clear what coaches actually do, or whether one is right for you.
Who Career Coaches Help
Coaches work one on one with people across a range of experience levels and industries to help them reach all kinds of career goals, which tend to fall into one of these categories:
- Finding a new job
- Changing careers (including going from employee to entrepreneur)
- Overcoming challenges at work
- Advancing in your current workplace
For specific examples, my clients have included long-term employees compelled to make a change, moms looking for more flexible and meaningful work, rising stars ready for the next step, leaders growing skills to manage up and down, and solo entrepreneurs looking to wrangle their efforts into a real strategy.
How Career Coaches Help
Some career coaches may specialize in a single service, like resume writing or working with CEOs, but generally, a coach doesn’t just help you find a job or grow a skill, they help you find out who you are and what it takes for you to thrive. That includes working with clients in a number of areas.
Increasing self-awareness: How you see yourself, what does and doesn’t work for you, and how you’re viewed by others are critical data points for any personal or professional undertaking. Coaches facilitate powerful, collaborative conversations to help you get a clear sense of who you are as you pursue your goals.
Clarifying your career goals: Often career coaches are hired when something is going wrong and you want it to end, but what you want to replace it with might be a little less clear. Through the coaching process, you can explore your passions, skills, and interests and align them with your career aspirations.
Developing career strategies: A career coach can help identify potential obstacles in the way of your goals and develop a plan to overcome them. That may include guidance on how to build a network, seek out new opportunities, and develop the necessary skills to succeed.
Building confidence: Competitive markets, negative past experiences, and societal messages are just a few reasons why you might experience self-doubt when it comes to making your next career move. A coach can help you identify your unique talents and abilities and develop a strategy to showcase them to your boss, team, potential employers, or future clients.
Navigating transitions: Making major changes can be lonely work. A career coach can provide guidance on how to navigate transitions like changing industries, returning to work after a break, stepping into leadership, or becoming an entrepreneur. Through the coaching process, you can develop a customized roadmap for success.
How To Find The Right Coach For You
It’s important to find a career coach who is compatible with your needs and goals. This may require some research and trial and error, but finding the right coach can make a big difference in your career development. One of the best ways to get a sense of who you’ll be working with is to reach out to your network for referrals. Make sure you’re able to interview your potential coach before you invest to ask about the aspects of their service that are most important to you.
Qualifications, experience, and credentials: Career coaches come from a variety of backgrounds in their personal and professional lives. It’s important to find a coach whose background meets your own expectations. For example, my clients may come to me because I have experience as a marketing and communications leader for progressive organizations. Because I’m certified by an International Coaching Federation-accredited program. Or, because I’m a woman and mom of young kids. Someone else might be looking for former recruiter from the fintech industry.
Communication style: You’ll be working closely with this person, so it’s important to feel comfortable and confident in their approach. Some coaches may be more directive while others take a more collaborative approach. Some might be warm and fuzzy, while others are action-oriented straight-talkers.
Services: Different career coaches offer different services, so think about what you need, but be open to what a coach you connect with has to offer. Some coaches may specialize in resume writing, while others may focus on interview preparation, job search strategies, or professional development.
Cost: Career coaching is an expense, so consider the cost of a coach’s services and whether they fit within your budget. Many coaches offer packages or payment plans that make their services more affordable.
You get as much out of coaching as you put into it, but a well-matched coach will create space for you to put in your very best, that’s the true value of the coaching process. If the time arrives for you to hire a career coach, make the effort to find the right coach for you, trust your gut, and commit to the work to get the most powerful results.
Liza Dube is a Certified Professional Coach with nearly 20 years of award-winning marketing communications leadership in progressive organizations. She empowers socially conscious leaders to create more compassionate ways of doing business, starting with themselves.
This article was originally published on LizaDube.com
