You’ve heard of financial planners, health coaches, and even life coaches – but what about career coaches? If you’re like most people, you may not know exactly what a career coach does or how they can benefit your life. As with any other aspect in life, having professional help in your career development journey can be very beneficial. Here are some things you may not know about career coaches and how they can serve as valuable resources for everyone from entry-level employees to senior executives.
What do career coaches do?
Figuring out what you want to do can sometimes be daunting, and career coaches can help working professionals discover their motivations and goals. Career coaches ease the process by helping to develop a personalised strategy and push you to follow through. They’re kind of like your personal trainers who can assist you in setting goals and build a plan on how you can work towards them.
In order to identify areas where a person might need assistance, coaches will usually take a detailed look at the individual’s professional history, life theme and individual’s desires via interviews, assessments, or other methods. This information is then used to come up with plans for moving forward, whether that means learning new skills or changing up the work environment so it better fits personal needs.
They also help those who are going through life transitions with their professional and personal goals by assessing the current situation and providing the tools needed to make changes that will ultimately lead to success. It’s important to note that while a career coach can offer advice on these topics, he or she is not able to make decisions for you; rather, they help you draw your own conclusions and make your own plans.
Who career coaching is for
People who use career coaching come from all walks of life. For example, you could be a fresh college graduate looking to get started in your first job. When it comes to starting out a career, it’s easy to get distracted by all the options available and to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of what lies ahead. A little guidance and direction can definitely go a long way toward finding the right niche for one’s skills. A coach can help bring clarity to these early years and give advice on how best to use these opportunities for self-improvement.
On the other hand, you might be someone looking to move up the corporate ladder or even a seasoned professional looking to take your career in a new direction. For those who have been in the working world for some time, it’s possible that monotony has set in, and they need some new inspiration. Finding the right mentor can help people explore fresh ways to approach their work, even if that means reaching out into unfamiliar territory.
Benefits of career coaching
There’s no one-size-fits-all career path and anyone who is looking to make a change or advance in their career is likely to benefit from the guidance and assistance of a coach. Professional coaches can help you become better prepared for job interviews, polish up your resume, assist with the interview process and provide valuable feedback on your job search strategy.
They can also help you think through your career aspirations, set goals and complete a self-evaluation of your strengths, weaknesses and personality traits. Partnering with a professional coach can also guide you through difficult periods in your career or life which may be causing stress. Many people find that working with a professional coach helps them cope with stressful situations and helps them identify ways to manage their stress more effectively.
Conclusion
Having a career coach by your side; walking the journey with you, can help you make decisions based on facts and not feelings, which will give you a greater chance at success. Many people who aren’t able to find success on their own have no idea how to even begin to start looking or where to go for help. Having a coach helps you avoid many of the pitfalls that are out there in today’s competitive business environment.
Career coaching can also benefit you and your organisation as you will be equipped with the appropriate tools and skills to assist others in their career development. Being a career coach allows you to build relationships with other professionals. Quest Discovery Academy provides professional executive coaching in Singapore and also offers one on one career coaching as well as a career coach certification program for anyone interested in being a career coach. Contact us for more information.