Is Career Coaching Right for Me?

How do I know if career coaching is right for me? Learn how working with a career coach helps with more than the job search, like career advancement and leadership. This post is for you if you're not sure what career coaching is or if it's the next right move for your career advancement.

 How Do I Know If Career Coaching Is Right For Me?

Myth: I am not looking for a new job, so I have no need for a career coach.

Truth: Regardless of where you are on your career path, a career coach can be an asset to your career development and beneficial to your career advancement. The job search is just one way a career coach can guide someone on their career transitions.

“Professional coaching is empowering and powerful. Professional Coaching is a partnership between the coach and the client. Together the design an alliance of how they want to work together and what they want to accomplish. In order for the coaching relationship to be successful, there needs to be a mutual feeling of trust and confidence. The professional coach holds the client (coachee) naturally resourceful creative and whole and helps the client to unlock their potential and leverage their talents, skills and strengths.” 

Welcome to this Career Coaching Awareness Blog series, brought to you by Romy Weiss, Your NextSteps Career Coach, CEO of NextSteps Coaching & Consulting LLC. I have recently noticed misunderstandings and misconceptions about what professional coaching actually is, specifically what career coaching is and who would best benefit from these services. It is fundamentally important to me as a professionally certified coach to debunk myths and spread awareness on the benefits and importance of professional coaching.  

If you’re currently wondering what Career coaching is?

How you can benefit from Career coaching? Who needs Career Coaching?

Then this series is for you.

LANDING YOUR DREAM JOB

A career coach is a professional coach who specializes in helping those who are in some form of career transition.  The most familiar way individuals are aware of professionals working with a career coach is when they are looking to change jobs. If you are embarking on a job search then you might consider working with one. But even though this is the obvious way, often job seekers set out to do it alone.

Bottom line, like anything, when you have guidance and a proven roadmap with a partner you generally reach your destination quicker and more efficiently and effectively. The job search is no different. 

Would you hire a tutor for your child if she/he was struggling in math?

Would you hire a personal trainer at the gym?

Do you use GPS when driving somewhere new?

Why should your job search be different?

Per the Impactgroup (impactgroup.com), data proves  job seekers land jobs 2.67 times more with job search assistance.  This statistic was released from the Harvard Business Review. And is also quoted saying “Career coaching is the differentiator.”

That said, job search is just one reason or way to benefit from career coaching. 

SETTING AND ACHIEVING CLEAR CAREER GOALS

Setting clear career goals and executing actions to accomplish those goals are another way professionals employ career coaches. Thinking about your career trajectory, where you want to be at different stages in your career development and how you are going to achieve  that is the core to your career success. 

This does not happen overnight.

This does not happen through just thoughts and dreams.

It takes visions.

It takes strategic plans.

It takes forward action.

It takes professional development.

When you work with a career coach you create a career development strategy and action plan. This should include short term and long term goals. Your career coach partners with you, holds you accountable, guides you, challenges you, and champions for you.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT

A third way to work with a career coach is for career advancement. In this way you are building your strengths and filling your deficiencies. 

Have you found yourself trying to get a promotion, climb the corporate ladder or be asked to join a leadership committee or cross-departmental committee to no avail? 

Do you feel your ideas are constantly being passed over at work - you are not seen or heard?

When working with a career coach you explore what’s actually going on that is holding you back from getting ahead, and then you can create solutions to overcome the obstacle. 

For instance, I had one client who wanted to be included in a cross-department strategic meeting. She requested to be put on the team and was turned down. During our session, we discussed, how she communicated her request and then I asked her why she wanted to be on the committee and what value she would bring to the team and the organization if she was on the team. After she shared with me this perspective, I asked her, do you think if you approached the leadership team and effectively communicated the benefit you would bring to the committee and the organization by being on this team and why there is a need for your department’s representation to be there, you might get a different response? 

Once she was able to articulate her value and share it in a productive way, guess what, she included on the committee.

Working with a coach allows you to see things from another perspective and a different lens.

Stay tuned for the next article, “How does professional career transition coaching work?” of this career coaching educational series.

New to the series? Did you miss the first blog in the series, "What is Career Coaching?" Read it here.

P.S. Want to learn more about Career Coaching and which of my programs would be the best fit for you? Schedule a free strategy session here.