Just like doctors who take care of specific areas of our health, a career coach is well equipped to give a professional recommendation for you, this time, with your career. To keep your career progressing, consulting a career coach may be one of your best investments, career-wise. But before you start looking for someone to assess your professional life, let us educate you with what exactly a career coach is and what can he or she be of service to you.
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What is a career coach?
A career coach is someone who is an expert in career planning and can help you assess your career to determine your potential and areas of development. Career coaches can help you with preparing you for a job interview and job application. They can offer you various services like resume optimization, interview preparations, and more. Their main goal is to professionally guide you with your next steps for your career.
Reasons to hire a career coach
Your professional needs are different from other people’s needs. In hiring a career coach, this is the first step you will need to take and it is very important to do so. You need to be clear to yourself when it comes to your career’s areas of improvement.
Here are some reasons which can be signals for you to finally take a step and find a career coach for yourself.
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You feel frustrated or lost with your current situation
There are days when we feel drained at work, which is completely normal. But when it keeps on repeating and you are having thoughts of quitting your current job more than enjoying it, then maybe it is a sign for you to take a step back, pause, and reflect. Ask yourself questions to see if you know your direction with your career.
A career coach can help you assess what you can do best for your career, especially if you feel lost and helpless. With your assessment with a career coach, you can expect advice of either staying with your current job and working with your frustrations to make your situation become better or take a leap and find another job or even a new career path. This will all depend on how you and your career coach will work together in knowing how he or she can help you with your professional life.
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You are aching for a career change
Switching career paths can be scary and very intimidating, that’s why it is never easy to do so. It will feel like you are starting from scratch, which can be confusing. If you are determined to change your career path but are unsure where to start, you can hire a career coach to help you.
Career transitions need to be well planned before really doing it. A career coach can draw you a plan on how you can start transitioning from your current industry to another industry that you are interested in. Career coaches can develop the right strategy for you.
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You want to shine against other candidates
The job search market is always huge with other great applicants. Just because a job post finds someone with requirements that you can do it does not mean you can get in immediately. Job searching can be a tedious process as well and sometimes, during your job hunting, you will feel undetermined to continue. To avoid these feelings, a career coach must train you in what to do during your job search.
In order to shine on the spot and attract job offers, you must have the following:
- A well written cover letter to call the attention of the recruiters
- An optimized resume to attract hiring managers
- Polished job interview skills that will want them to call you again
- Sharpest skills needed for the job you are applying for
All of these can be attained with the help of career coaches. They are trained to also train their clients to bring out their best potential and even the skills they did not know exist within themselves.
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You need to level up and become more motivated with your career
Frustrations with your job can result in demotivated feelings towards your work. If you are finding it hard to start working everyday and focusing on your tasks, maybe you need a career coach to help you. Career coaches can also share their knowledge on time management, which can be a gem for your career.
You may also feel insufficient with your current performance at work. Consult this with a career coach and explain why you feel this way. From there, you can work together to find ways on how to resolve your issue and make your determination and efficiency go back to work feeling refreshed.
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You need an unbiased opinion for your career
Sure, you can consult your friends and family for opinions and advice for your career dilemmas but there is a risk in doing that – biases. Since they know you on a deep and personal level, they might not be able to effectively give you the useful advice you need. More often than not, their opinions may lead you to become more confused.
Hiring a career coach can bring a different game for you in this area. Since you hired them and talk to them specifically for your professional woes and know you less personally, they can give unbiased opinions. You can also work on accountability with your career coach to make your career change journey more productive and motivating.
Choosing the right career coach
In choosing your career coach, you need to master the art of research. Career coaches are everywhere on the Internet and highly reachable digitally, but it does not mean the first one to appear on your search engine is already the right one for you. Career coaches are also like us – they have their own specializations. Check career coaches who are working in your industry or the next industry you want to be in.
Hiring a career coach can cost you quite a sum of money, too. This is why it is important to know how to match your skills with a coaching professional to avoid wasting money. After all, hiring one is considered as an investment for your professional growth and development.
If you will be hiring one from the Internet, make sure to double check their credibility and certification so that you will find the best one available to help you out.
Conclusion
Career coaches can be intimidating to work with but they are necessary for our career growth. They are proven to be helpful for job seekers. They know skills and techniques to make our careers progress. Why don’t you take a leap forward and find one?
We at Glow and Grow Careers can also help you with the progression of your professional life, from resume and LinkedIn profile optimization to career coaching. If you are interested with the services we offer, you may connect with us and let’s talk about how we can help you with your career advancement.
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