If you’re considering a career change, feel stagnated where you’re at, or want to take your income to the next level, no one else can help you more than a career coach. Career coaching is a critical and fundamental service for those who are looking to work their way higher up the ladder. What do career coaches do and why are they so important?
In this article, we’ll answer all these questions and more, and help you decide if career coaching is the best step for you to take next.
What is Career Coaching?
CEOs around the world, from Microsoft to Google, have given speeches and even authored books about the importance of career coaches. However, it’s important to understand exactly what they do before jumping in, to make sure that you get the most out of your coaching experience.
Career coaching used to only be available to the elite or executive suite of workers, but in recent decades it has grown in accessibility and popularity, partly due to the expanded reach afforded to it by technology. It’s fairly common to meet with your coach over a video or phone call, although many still prefer meeting in person.
Career coaching is a directive driven, solutions based approach to improving your career. It’s a way to come up with an achievable, results oriented, comprehensive plan to help you figure out where you can find the middle ground between job satisfaction, your skills, and what you can do to realistically earn an income.
Career coaches can help you at any point in your career. Some of the critical points that you may want to consider hiring a coach for are:
When you’re feeling dissatisfied with work or considering a new job
You just graduated college and are looking for a career
You need to update your CV, resume, or cover letter
It’s time to negotiate a raise or other changes to your job
You’re getting close to retirement and are not sure what steps to take
Of course, for those who have the income to keep a full-time career coach handy, doing so brings even more benefits. Many executives and higher-up workers have found that this brings amazing benefits and clarity to their decisions and actions in the workplace.
What to Expect
To understand career coaching better, it’s critical to first understand what career coaching is not. For example, a career coach is not a therapist, as there is no assumption that anything is wrong with you. A career coach is not a teacher, as there is no hierarchy and the coach and client are supposed to be equals.
Finally, a career coach is not a consultant. The coach guides you, but you are supposed to have agency as well and be capable of making decisions as a team. The main thing a career coach should offer you is specific deliverables, so when you go to meet with them, plan ahead and bring any goals you have for the future.
Most career coaches charge anywhere from $50-$150 an hour. Some may cost more and some may cost slightly less, but you can expect to pay around this much. When you find the right career coach that you connect with, it’s well worth it, as their experience and knowledge will pay off in the form of higher income and greater job satisfaction.
Benefits of Career Coaching
While you may have a mentor or someone you go to for advice at work, a career coach can offer you benefits that they can’t.
Mentors are informal and can’t focus on your specific needs and goals
Career coaches offer you a personalized plan for success
You can test out your ideas and thoughts in a safe environment
They have experience with anything you need help with
Career coaches know how to motivate people
They can prepare you for interviews and teach you how to sell yourself better
According to the International Coaching Federation, between 2015 and 2019, the number of career coaches increased by a staggering 33%. It’s easy to see why - in the modern, technological world, many workers feel anxiety about being left behind, overtaken by a younger generation, or replaced by automation and computer technology.
In the fast-paced and constantly changing environment of the modern world, career coaching is quickly becoming even more important. Remote work and technological advances have created an uncertain job field for many people, exacerbated by mass resignations and societal shifts. These changes are reflected in the ways that the career coaching field has grown.
These are valid fears, and it’s important to protect yourself and ensure success at work. There’s nothing more important than maintaining your career and income, so you can support yourself and those you love and care about. Take a proactive step towards success and contact a career coach today to get your journey started!