Do you need a career coach? When and why you should hire one today.

In handling life’s challenges, especially those faced within one’s career, a little extra support can go a long way towards your success. Studies have shown that having someone to talk to and listen to your worries can have significant and positive impacts in your life. In other words, having someone to verbalize your feelings to out in the open, can be tantamount in your career. This is especially true when it is someone trained to assist you in handling challenges specifically related to your professional growth.

Today, work-related concerns are normal. From those working in corporate board rooms, to those in fast-paced start-up environments, to those working for themselves –todays workforce faces many unique challenges, pressures, and concerns. Unfortunately, when not handled properly, mounting stresses and pressures can result in dissatisfaction, burnout, exhaustion, anxiety, and even depression. This is where professional help comes into play. A career coach can help you address such areas in your career so that you maintain a high degree of satisfaction, no matter what stage you are in within your career.
 
When considering if you need a career coach, ask yourself these questions:
 
Am I properly coping with work-related stress?
Do I have a healthy work-life balance?
Am I fully aware of my strengths and weaknesses and how those impact my career?
Do I have clearly defined short and long-term goals that I am actively pursuing?
Do I feel like something is missing in my career?
 
If you don’t how to answer these questions, you may very well require the support of a career coach who can help you to figure out the next best direction for your professional development.
 
Here’s how a career coach can help:  
 
So, what is a Career Coach anyway?
 
A career coach is professionally trained to help people explore their careers, taking a deep dive into their passions and helping them achieve new levels of success they were unable to attain by going it alone. Career coaches can help those of all levels including students/recent graduates, mid-career professionals, senior leaders, C-suite executives, federal employees, and transitioning military, to name a few.
 
What they do:
Career coaches are experts in identifying the appropriate course of action you should take to enhance your career. This includes helping you to identify the right role for you, helping you explore further education, advising on how to move up in your existing career (such as with salary negotiations), or counseling you on interviewing skills. All I all, a career coach will provide you with strategies to aid you in making smooth transitions in your career.
 
What they CAN do:

• CAN help you with work-related and career concerns
• CAN expedite our job search by proving advice on how to improve your resume and supporting materials, such as cover letter or LinkedIn profile, based on your target job
• CAN help you develop a solid career plan and course of action to achieve your goals
• CAN guide you by leveraging an array of career services/workforce development tools, assessments, inventories, and activities to enrich your coaching experience.

What to expect:
Utilizing their years of experience, strong research skills, understanding of complex psychological theories, along with in-depth knowledge of the current job market, and organizational processes, a career coach can expedite change within your life and career by serving as a guiding light, helping you to achieve the outcomes that you desire.
 
What they CANNOT do:

• CANNOT do the heavy lifting for you – they can provide the guidance, but it is your responsibility to put their recommendations into action
• CANNOT help you make changes overnight – a career coach will equip you with the tools that you need to achieve success, but it may take some time to see measurable results. For instance, most coaching clients begin to see results, on average, after at least three 60-minute coaching sessions.   
• CANNOT diagnose or treat mental illnesses – keep in mind that career coaches are not licensed therapists. If you feel that you have deeper concerns related to mental health, please refer to a licensed psychologist or medical practitioner who can address health-related conditions.

 
Who they’re for:
People seek out the assistance a career coach in many stages of their career. For instance, this could be when you are first starting out, when you are unsure or confused about which career path to take, when you are chasing a new passion or dream job, or when you are ready to move up the career ladder. In short, career coaches are a great resource for any career level and across all industries.
 
Summary
If you need career coaching, our services are perfect for professionals like you who are ready to make vast improvements in their careers. We provide one-on-one guidance and advice to help you identify, work towards, and achieve all your career goals and objectives. In addition to that, we also offer resume writing services to equip you with the tools you need to advance in your job search journey.

To learn more about why do you need a career coach?, schedule a call today to speak with one of our career experts. 
 
(P.S. Tired of spinning your wheels with your career? If you're ready to turn your resume into a hard-hitting marketing tool then take our FREE resume quiz today to see exactly which services are right for you!