Pop quiz! Which of the following people could benefit from working with a career coach?

–A recent graduate who’s feeling a little lost on exactly what to do with their newfound degree, and how to turn their education and skills into a meaningful career.

–A working professional who has found his or herself in a time of transition. Whether they’re looking to change careers, recently lost or left a job, or are looking for a more senior role that better fits their skills and accomplishments, they need some help qualifying EXACTLY what their right next move is (and gaining the peace of mind in knowing it IS the right next move for them).

-A mid-level marketing manager who wants to take the necessary steps to earn a promotion, but needs guidance on how to put together a plan for earning that promotion.

–A new mom who’s re-entering the workforce and looking for a job that’s more in line with her new priorities, but still allows her to thrive and flourish in this next season of her career.

-An overworked web developer who’s seriously struggling with work-life balance.

-An unmotivated social media manager who’s looking for a CHANGE… but they’re not quite sure what that change is yet. They just know they’re unhappy and feeling unfulfilled in their work, and are looking to do something about it.

The answer? As you might have guessed, ALL of those individuals could benefit from the help of a career coach.

But what exactly is a career coach? And how do they help their clients? As a career coach myself, I wanted to put together this article in case you or someone who know might be in need of a coach for any one of these reasons.

Read on to learn exactly why you might want to consider working with a career coach.

What Does a Career Coach Do?

In short, career coaches help their clients navigate their goals as they relate to their work. There are two primary ways that career coaches help their clients. Both have to do with (you guessed it) – their careers!

1. Helping clients FIND a job
2. Helping clients PROGRESS within their career

1. Career Coaches Can Help With Your Job Search

The first way a career coach can help you is if you are looking for a new job, or maybe looking to change careers entirely.

It’s no secret that the job search process can be pretty grueling. Unless you have recruiters clamoring to get your attention (which some of you do, you lucky ducks!), you will need to go through the process of updating your resume, writing endless cover letters, making sure your LinkedIn profile and online portfolio are in top shape, and putting yourself out there by applying, following up, and interviewing for numerous jobs.

A career coach can help you stay organized and on-track through this process, as well as help you seek out new and exciting roles that may be a great fit for your talents, strengths, and experience. Personally, I like to kick off all my career coaching client partnerships with a time-tested system of self-discovery and personal assessment to help you understand your unique strengths, talents, aptitudes, passions and values, as they may relate to new job opportunities. The best way to find fulfilling work is to make sure it’s in line with your priorities, and allows you to use your gifts, so doing this self-discovery at the start of your job search is so important!

A career coach can also help coach you through the actual job application process, including helping to give feedback and update your application materials, and also assisting with mindset and preparation for interviews – another crucial part of the job search process.

In general, a job-search-oriented career coach will be there every step of the way as you seek out and apply for new jobs, and help coach you through the process, as well as give you goals and an action plan to help you stay on track to your ultimate goal of finding a new job that you love, and that fits in to your greater goals and priorities in life.

2. Career Coaches Can Help With Setting (and Achieving) Meaningful Goals at Work

Another way that career coaches can support and guide clients is through setting goals and putting together action plans for clients who are looking to advance or achieve major milestones at work, such as promotions, raises, new roles, and more.

Just like all goals, career-related goals require a detailed plan of action. A career coach typically has expertise in how to achieve meaningful goals at work, and how to help their clients do the same.

Some Other Ways Career Coaches May Help Their Clients

• Asking the right questions and helping clients build a routine and find a job that is in alignment with their goals and priorities
• Helping clients understand themselves so that they are able to better organize and control their time
• Guiding clients in becoming more proactive than reactive
• Helping clients overcome setbacks and loss, as well as deal with difficult situations and people

A good career coach is able to assess and adjust their coaching style to the unique needs of each client. So, the actual services delivered by a career coach will certainly vary from client to client.

So, now you have an understanding of what a career coach does, and how they help their clients. For me, as a life and career coach, basically my job is to help people get what they want – whether it’s a new job, career advancement, or navigating any sort of other life transition. I also support my clients with interview prep, and application materials (resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profile optimization).

If that sounds like something you may need in your life right now, then I encourage you to schedule a free call with me below! I’d love to hear more about what you’re looking for, and how I can potentially help.