How to find the right career coach

About 2 years ago I started working with a business/life coach and the experience has been well worth it. In general, the process has been a bit difficult at times but going beyond your safety zone is typically uncomfortable. Anyone who works with a life coach quickly begins to realize that you can’t reach for your dreams and still hold on to your old ways of thinking. My life coach is gentle but she remains persistent in the areas where I used to struggle so that I don’t lose ground. She knows just the right amount of pressure to use to keep me focused. I believe that finding success with a life coach requires a level of trust that must be present from day one. My coach (Vickie Champion (www.VickieChampion.com) has been coaching for 13 years and I know that her experience has everything to do with the rapport that I feel with her.

As I career coach I found your article to be on the mark when working with a career coach.

I’ve written a list of “Things Every Life Coach Should Know” to help clients select a reputable coach.

A coach should never:
1. Judge a client
2. Give advice
3. Jump to conclusions
4. Say they feel “bad” for a client
4. Limit a client’s potential

A coach should always:
1. Keep it confidential
2. Focus on the process/listening skills
3. Be open minded
4. Be a partner in discovery
5. Focus on the truth

For the full information, visit: http://yourdreamslifecoaching.blogspot.com/2008/10/things-every-life-coach-should-know.html

I also have more information here: http://www.yourdreamslifecoach.com

I would agree with previous comments, a good career coach is going to ask questions that can be uncomfortable at first. But I soon realized that my coach was removing all the fear I had as I thought I could not change my career path or often wonder how I could even work in a new field. Without this fear hanging on top of me, my coach then helped assess my goals and set up a plan of actions. I think it is key to find a coach that hold you accountable for all your weekly goals so that you can achieve great results. I am now doing a job I love thanks to Leslie Tennant, http://www.leslietennant.com

As usual, Annie, your advice is right on point. I’d like to add a bit to help folks start off on their bid for a coach even more efficient. Every coach has a different area of expertise. I am a Job Search Coach, formerly a Retained Search Recruiter with experience working exclusively with Executives and Technology Professionals. I have found the single most important step when engaging a Coach of any sort is to know your objective. When vetting the coach through references and such, measure what you learn against your own objective. Learn the Coach’s strategy and tactics measured against that objective. See if they match your needs and how it feels…and don’t be sold. You are the expert on yourself, remember, emotions are data. Coach@jobsearchdebugged.com

After having worked with a few coaches, I enjoyed finding one that not only had real world experience but who also had to overcome major life challenges. One of the best questions to ask a coach is “who is your coach?” Most good coaches are working with another coach at least on a project basis. Also, definitely find out what style would fit best with you. I didn’t want to waste any time (or money) so I chose a coach that was not afraid to be “in my face” because I wanted to get ahead fast. I’m also not much for small talk so I wanted someone who was serious and committed about helping me make the quantum leaps in both my professional and personal life. If this sounds similar to your needs, I’d recommend Carroll Schuller, the coach for Fast Thinking Adults (www.organicblueprints.com). She also has wonderful auditory talents and therefore is a great coach by phone — not all of them are — she knows how to listen for what she needs to hear to help you most.

I really enjoyed this article, and echo all the recommendations made to date! I host a radio show dedicated to the coaching field, Insight on Coaching. We did a show on this very topic called “Shopping for a Coach”, feel free to download the podcast at: http://www.ieconsulting.biz/index.aspx?urlname=shopping-for-a-coach

We’ve featured some fantastic career, executive, and other types of professional coaches on our show as well, including Marshall Goldsmith, Strat Sherman, Keith Rosen, and more. Please feel free to review their biographies (organized by topic/show) on our website, and let me know how I can help – I’m happy to make introductions and connections if it helps!

http://www.ieconsulting.biz/index.aspx?urlname=insightoncoaching

Best,

Tom Floyd
Host, Insight on Coaching Radio Show
tfloyd@ieconsulting.biz

Here are websites where career counselors can be found:
http://www.nbcc.org
http://www.careercc.org

Finding a coach is a good decision, just two advices, make sure you are tuned you do not become dependent on advices and get adicted to listening to it, another one to the coach …. make sure you also provide realistic feedback to your client making sure he understands his own limitations and career’s cealing.

College students and graduates often forget that they may be able to receive free career counseling and services from the Career Center at the college they graduated from. Some public colleges may also assist indivduals who graduated from another university.

Good advice. I would add that a good career coach should have tools and assessments that help the client identify his/her strengths and potential development areas. It’s critically important, particularly at this state, for a person looking for new career opportunities to be very tuned into her strengths (and thus exude confidence in the career and job search), so these strengths can be leveraged and communicated. At the same time, it’s worthwhile to take an honest look at one’s potential vulnerabilities, or development needs, and help the client put an action plan in place to address these needs. A good coach has a variety of tools (including assessments) which can support clients in identifying both strengths and weaknesses, and provide resources for leveraging strengths and overcoming weaknesses.

True, everything you say. One additional thing to add is that it works both ways. They way you scrutinize the career coach are just the ways that a potential employer might look at you. In fact, that’ll probably be all they need to do. Help you look as good in your field as they do in theirs…easier said than done.

Finding a good coach is a challenge, but it’s well worth it when you find the right one. Many coaches will offer you a free consultation to establish a rapport but will want a commitment.

During your first meeting, pay attention to your own feelings of whether this person will be able to help you. Also be clear on what you want from a coaching relationship. Many good coaches will ask deep, probing questions that will be uncomfortable for you to answer. But the answers to these questions is what will help you become unblocked and move to the next level.

Also look for blogs. You can tell about the coach from their writings there too.

I’ve had success with PEL Coaching. She may be good fit for you or not.