A career coach assists and guides people who seeking to select careers, enhance their career choices, or transition into different careers. So, what about if you want to have a career as a career coach?
Why Become a Career Coach?
If you have a burning desire to help others, are non-judgmental, are an attentive listener, and enjoy working in a dynamic and growing field, then this is a great choice for you. Career coaches also make a good living – they can generally charge from $50 to $200 or more per hour for their services.
Training programs only take a few months to finish and can cost less than $1,000. They can work from home, from an office, or find employment with a corporation or a large coaching company. There are many paths to take as a coach.
6 Steps to Get Into Career Coaching
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- Determine your goals. Who to you want to work with as a coach? Do you want to work with executives, recent college graduates, single mothers, people reentering the workforce, or any other specific group of individuals?
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- Decide on your work setting. Do you want to own your own coaching practice? Or would you prefer to work in a counseling center or for a large corporation?
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- Determine your educational needs. If you are still in college, degrees in counseling, psychology, and sociology are great choices. If you are out of college, don’t worry, you can still get into the career coaching field.
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- Select the right coaching program for your needs. Coaching certification programs are all over the Internet, but it is important to select wisely. Look for one that is accredited by a governing body like the International Coach Federation (ICF), seek out reviews and testimonials (either online or from people you know), and find one that fits your schedule. Make sure to talk to someone in the coaching program before you sign on the bottom line.
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- Work on your skills. Once you have completed your coaching program, you are not done with your education. In fact, you are never done. Learning is a lifelong process. Read books, attend seminars, watch DVDs from the experts, and immerse yourself in everything coaching.
- Market your services. This is the big, bad elephant in the room. If you work for someone else, you may not need to promote your coaching services, but if you have your own business, you will never make it without targeted and effective marketing. If you can’t do it and are not willing to learn, you will have to hire an expert. Marketing is crucial to the success of any business.
What You Do as a Career Coach and What You Don’t Do
Career coaches are not counselors, who tend to work with issues and problems. However, many coaches work in career counseling centers, which specifically help people with their careers. Some coaches specialize – work with specific groups of people or within a specific industry. Coaches help to motivate, inspire, and create strategies for overcoming obstacles. They can help with resumes, interview practicing, and job searches. However, no coach can guarantee you a new job.
A career coach does exactly what it sounds like they would do. They assist clients with their careers – it is as simple and as rewarding as that!
Jeffrey T. Sooey is the CEO of JTS Advisors and the founder of Coaches Training Blog community.
Helps new and developing coaches with coaching skills and client acquisition by training and mentoring them in good coaching, sales, and marketing best practices.
Works with employers on eliminating hiring mistakes and implementing best practices in hiring employees commensurate with the job attributes.
Partners with executives on growing business and working with employees by combining forces, clarifying goals and articulating strategic plans.