what-is-career-coaching

If you wish to discuss any of the issues in this blog and how I may be able to help you in a Career Coaching capacity, please contact me for an initial free chat on 0785 7422614 or at martin@mjbcoaching.co.uk

Are you going the WRONG WAY in your career? Well, if so, it may interest you to hear that the principal value of career coaching services are to help people review their professional lives with a clearer amount of honesty, empathy and compassion. The goal of any good career coach is to energise you so that you can make informed decisions about your future, with a focus on solutions.

Career coaching services can be beneficial at any time in your working life. It can range, for example, from finding your first Graduate job, developing a winning CV or negotiating with your employer to guiding you to the next challenge in your career, taking a drastic change in direction or even preparation for retirement.

I work with clients to enhance their mindset so that they can make intelligent decisions about available opportunities, what their strengths are and what is their underlying purpose in life. Once skills, experience and goals are understood, we explore options in order to make a realistic, achievable career plan. We explore how to market skills and find opportunities. We will also review how you can improve your employability and secure the job that you desire.

When is a Good Time to Undertake Career Coaching?

Career coaching services could be for you if you are looking to:

  • Advance in your current Company
  • Pursue an external role
  • Review and understand your short and long-term career options
  • Undertake a big change in career direction
  • Prevent yourself from becoming ‘stuck’
  • Build a portfolio that positions you well for the future
  • Manage threats such as redundancy
  • Take stock of your work-life balance and priorities

What are the Benefits of Career Coaching?

Career coaching is valuable in a lot of ways. Here are some of the main benefits:

  1. Personalised guidance tailored to your situation
  2. Time set aside to focus on your career
  3. Identification of your strengths and opportunity to reduce your weaknesses
  4. Identification of potential skills gaps and recommended actions to tackle them.
  5. Solid, realistic goals and a clear action plan
  6. Greater career confidence, insight and inspiration
  7. Be able to pitch yourself/tell your story in a convincing manner
  8. Understanding of how to work towards your next career step
  9. Exploration of feelings of fear and vulnerability in order to better understand how they are holding you back

What not to Expect from Career Coaching

It is equally important to understand the boundaries of career coaching and what it is not about.

A career coach is not a clairvoyant. Your career coach should not tell you what to do with your life or career. They are a facilitator and guide. They will unlock the doors so that you can find a way forward and make lasting changes. The coach will help you to make the best of your skills and knowledge to meet your goals, but you must be accountable for your career choices.

A career coach does not do the work for you. Career coaching seldom works unless you are prepared to take the necessary actions. A coach may assist you with challenges and provide guidance on the best course of action. However, they are not there to attend your interviews, re-write your CV or find you a job. Without you being prepared to act, coaching becomes a nice conversation with reduced purpose.

A career coach will not give you an easy ride. You should expect to be challenged. Your career challenges are not likely to be resolved in a single session, and you should expect to put in at least 4 to 6 hours of coaching before you can take on the benefits of coaching. Your coach should make sure ambitions are realistic by challenging your preliminary ideas. They will challenge your motivation and your purpose. They will seek to question your goals so that they are reflective with who you are as a person.

If you feel that you could benefit from an experienced Career Coach, please contact me for an introductory chat about how I can help you to achieve your goals.