How You Can Benefit From Working With a Career Coach

Are you an aspirational manager? Then you might benefit from working with a career coach. According to the Forbes article “10 Things You Should Know About Career Coaching” by Demetrius Cheeks, a career coach helps you make informed decisions about your career trajectory and development. It’s a more solutions-oriented role than that of a mentor because it focuses on concrete steps you can take to achieve your career objectives. 

The benefits of working with a career coach

Working with a career coach offers several benefits. A coach can help you understand where you currently are in your career, what brought you to this point, and what value you offer employers. 

A coach can also help you review your short- and long-term goals by asking if they’re still what you want and whether they’re realistic. If necessary, her or she can help you determine whether you need to make any adjustments to your career path and if so, what those adjustments should be. 

In addition, a coach can help you navigate difficult career decisions, as Leah Arnold-Smeets points out in her PayScale article “5 Benefits of Career Coaching That You Need to Know.” This can be especially helpful, since instead of telling you what you want to hear, he or she is more likely to be honest with you and give you objective advice. 

Finally, a good career coach will motivate you to get out of your comfort zone. You simply can’t advance by standing still — you need to push yourself to acquire more skills, more knowledge, and more experience. 

How to find the right coach for your career

Now you know how you can benefit from working with a career coach, how do you find one? According to the Wall Street Journal, career coaches aren’t required to be officially licensed. That said, the International Coach Federation and the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches both offer coaching certifications, so they’re good places to start. You can also ask around in your network to see if any of your contacts can refer a good career coach.

When you experience the difference that getting objective career advice can make, you’ll realize that working with a career coach is well worth the investment of time and money. After all, if most professional athletes count on their coaches to help them be successful on the field, imagine what one qualified career coach can do to help you win in your professional life.   

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/07/09/10-things-you-should-know-about-career-coaching/#73b8174a7d5e

https://www.payscale.com/career-news/2016/04/5-benefits-of-career-coaching-that-you-need-to-know

http://guides.wsj.com/careers/how-to-start-a-job-search/how-to-find-a-career-coach/

https://coachfederation.org

https://parw.com