If you’ve just begun your career or have struggled to move up the career ladder, considering career coaching might not be a bad idea. Hiring a professional career coach can help you expand your skillset and improve your career regardless of your level. Career coaches offer everything from resume writing help to invaluable interview prep techniques that can help you remain ahead of the game.
But if you’re still not sold, the team from Career Upside has collected some of the most important benefits of working with a professional career coach for you here!
What Exactly Does a Career Coach Do?
Firstly, you might be wondering precisely what a career coach does, and the answer is, they do quite a lot of different things depending on your needs. For example, they’re equipped to assist with everything from career planning and networking to offering motivational techniques. However, at the most basic level, career coaches help you develop your own personal brand by highlighting the best aspects of your professional experience and helping you showcase your talents to others.
In some cases, an experienced career coach will have extensive human resources and job recruiting background, making them poised to offer possible professional advice. In other cases, working with someone who understands marketing best practices and digital marketing can be beneficial since your goal is to market and sell yourself using platforms such as LinkedIn, which may not be your strength. Either way, they’ll help keep you accountable and stay on track toward your next professional goal.
When to Hire a Career Coach?
There’s a common misconception that hiring a career coach is a last-ditch effort when job hunting, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s much better to have a career coach at your disposal before even beginning your job search or trying to look for a new position. Additionally, professional career coaches can help you at many of the different crossroads you’re facing during your career. This might include trying to move to the next level, do something different entirely, or if you’re not quite sure in which direction you should be moving.
As mentioned above, some career coaches can help you ace that next big job interview and even help provide insight when negotiating pay and benefits.
How to Find a Career Coach
At this point, you might be wondering how to find a career coach. One of the best ways is by searching online, on jobs sites like LinkedIn or Monster, and by word of mouth referrals. You’d be surprised to learn how many of your peers might have worked with a career coach at one time or another. Make sure when you’re searching for a career coach that they specialize in the things you want to work on, so you can be sure to get the most out of your time and investment. Often, career coaches will charge a consulting fee on an hourly basis rather than a simple upfront fee. If a career coach asks you for a hefty upfront fee, this should be a red flag, and you should continue looking elsewhere, as they may not have your best interests at heart.
How Much Does Hiring a Career Coach Cost?
The cost of hiring a career coach will often vary depending on your needs. It will also depend upon the professional career coach’s background and experience, where they’re located, and their success rate. For example, career coaches that are well known and have published books and maintain a visible presence will be more likely to charge more than someone who might not be considered as much as an expert in the field. Coaches that are in higher demand will also likely charge more than those with fewer clients.
However, there are some general prices to be aware of when searching for the right professional development coach for you. As mentioned previously, most career coaches will charge a consulting fee on an hourly basis. A standard rate for less experienced or in-demand coaches will range anywhere from $75-150 per hour. For busier career coaches or ones considered experts in the field, you can expect to pay an average of $250-500 per hour, or sometimes, even more, depending on their expertise.
When hiring a career coach, it’s essential to ask if you can speak to their former clients before agreeing to their services. After all, you’re hiring them to do a job, so don’t hesitate to ask for some references to ensure they’re the right fit for you.
What Type of Training Does a Professional Career Coach Have?
We’ve already mentioned that some career coaches will have a strong background in job recruiting or human resources. Some may also boast certificates from schools that offer career counseling or coaching programs. However, it’s important to note that simply because they’re certified isn’t necessarily a guarantee that they’ll offer quality services. The most valuable characteristics to look for in a reliable career coach are an extensive resume, extensive experience, good reviews, and word-of-mouth references.
What are the PROs & CONs of Hiring a Career Coach?
Since hiring a career coach is an investment, you might be wondering what the PROs and CONs are when working with them. It’s important to note that there are many career coaches out there who are inexperienced and might not be experts in the field, which is why looking into their background is essential. However, a reliable career coach can offer a wide variety of benefits and help you with a career change, interview preparation, resume writing, and much more.
For an investment of a few hundred dollars, hiring an experienced career coach can undoubtedly pay off in the long run. The benefits will certainly outweigh the costs if you choose the right one because they can help you land that job you’ve always dreamed of, negotiate for a higher salary, start your own business, or land that promotion you’ve been gunning for in the past few years. One of the most significant benefits of working with a professional career coach is that they’ll offer an outside perspective and identify your strengths and weaknesses and build a plan that will highlight your best skills while helping you improve on those areas where you may be lacking.
Career coaches are there to help you avoid making mistakes. In essence, they help you learn from someone else’s mistakes and can accurately assess where you are and put you in the very best position to reach your career goals.
Preparing for a Career Coaching Session
When preparing for your first career coaching session, or if you haven’t had one in a while, there are some things you can do to ensure you get the most out of it. Firstly, ask them outright what you should do to prepare for your session; that way, you can have a good idea of what to expect before you even meet. Like no two employees are alike, each career coach is different and may have a distinct way of doing things. Some career coaches will ask you to come to your first session with a list of questions; others will ask for your career goals. They’ll likely also ask you to bring along your resume so they can determine where you’re at in your current career path.
Some professional career coaches will take a less hands-on approach and let you take the reins during your session. If this is the case with your career coach, be sure to consider what you want to achieve with each session. But don’t just brainstorm: write these things down and create a list, so you leave no stone unturned. Consider what you feel has been missing in your career and what you’d like to achieve. Making a list of what you think your strengths and weaknesses are will also be helpful to give your career coach a good idea of your skillset. If you’re unsure of anything during your session, don’t be afraid to ask your career coach questions; they’ll be able to help you determine what you’ve been missing and where you can improve.
Contact us today for professional career coaching and more!
If you want to get a leg up in your industry or begin an entirely new career path, the team from Career Upside can help. We specialize in many different things, including leadership development, talent acquisition consulting, sales and negotiation skills, and more. We can also provide consulting for those at every level of their career, from mid-career professionals to business leaders, and help students and their parents build a clear path for the future to maximize the return on their college or trade school investment.
To learn more about how Career Upside can take your career to the next level and help you land that dream job, and so much more, contact us online today or call (404) 219-7056 for a FREE 30-minute consultation!
