Are you feeling stuck in a career or industry that no longer fits? Or maybe you are considering a new career direction as your current role does not reflect the salary you deserve.
Whatever the reason you are looking into career coaching services, this blog can help you to find the best career coach for you.
A good job coach can help you reach your goals faster and more successfully than going it alone.
Most career issues brew for a long time before eventually boiling over, so you do not have to be in full crisis mode to benefit from career coaching. Despite what you may have been led to believe, career coaching is not a “last resort” when you are at the end of your tether, and you need to admit defeat. In fact, a good career coach can help you identify and evaluate better alternatives at any time during your career journey. Career coaching is increasingly recognised as an exciting way to invest in yourself and your future, and more and more people are discovering the enormous benefits of reaching out for help at all stages of their careers.
All it takes is a quick Google search to discover that the career coaching industry is rapidly growing.
So, how do you ensure the career coach you work with can do the best for you and your future?
Here are our top three expert tips on finding the best career coach:
1. Get Proof of Success.
Career coaching is an unregulated industry. This means that pretty much any Tom, Dick or Harry can set up a website and call themselves a job coach. With this in mind, it is worth being focused and rigorous in your research when you are looking for career coaching services.
Of course, the ultimate proof of how good a job coach is in the success stories of their clients. So, regardless of how many qualifications the coach has (or doesn’t have), we highly recommend that you do some further homework and check out what their past clients have to say.
How many clients has the coach helped to transition into a new career? How many of their past clients are happy with the career coaching service they received? Ask to speak to past clients and look for success stories on their website.
Take our website as an example. We list our qualifications and accreditations, but we also have an entire page dedicated to clients’ success stories. Anyone who visits our site only has to read our testimonials to see that we have helped a long list of clients to achieve their dream careers.
2. Talk First.
Your potential career coach may have worked with a thousand clients, but they haven’t yet worked with you. In other words, it is important that you work with a career coach who will take the time to understand your background, goals and customise their process to meet your needs.
Before you make any agreements (and especially before you part with any of your cash), make sure you have an in-depth discussion with your could-be career coach to establish your goals and outcomes.
Anyone can have a generic conversation about career coaching, but a good job coach will speak directly about your situation, goals and concerns, and explain how they can work with you to help you achieve what you want. And yes, they will do all of this before you start working together.
At MK Career Solutions, we offer a free consultation to every new potential client. Any reputable career coach should be offering the same.
3. Look for a Strong Personality Match.
Second to skills and experience, chemistry is probably the most important element of a successful career coaching relationship.
Your job coach should make you feel at ease and inspired, and most importantly, they should be someone who you can be yourself around.
While many relationships develop over time, you can usually get a feel whether your job coach will be a good fit for you during your consultation process. Does your potential career coach speak positively and realistically? Do they listen to your requirements without selling their services? Are they knowledgeable and able to give actionable advice?
Studying your potential career coach’s website is also a good way of getting to know more about who they are. Check out their ‘About’ page for some background and history, and pay close attention to the tone of their website.
You can also research more widely for examples of their reputation and approach. Do they blog or write for online publications? Do they run courses, or have they appeared on any television or radio shows?
Remember that good career coaches will not shy away from being their true selves. After all, they know better than anyone that in order for your partnership to work, your personality must gel. The stronger a sense of their personality and interests you can get, the better you can judge if the career coach is right for you.
The Bottom Line for Essential Things to Look for in a Career Coach
Choosing a career coach is a very personal decision, but it’s one that can change the course of your life and help you to accomplish your dream career.
- Your career coach should be an expert with a wealth of experience in helping clients achieve their dream jobs.
- They should be up-to-date with the latest trends that can help you identify opportunities that match your interests, prepare for your job search, and negotiate your compensation.
- Above all, your career coach should do what is best for you and your future—and that requires listening, understanding and building a positive working relationship.
We hope you have found this blog helpful. MK Career Solutions will be back soon with more career advice.
Want to talk one-to-one? Get in touch now, and we can give you instant bespoke help and advice.
