Coaching has certainly grown in popularity over the last few years. It seems that every other person you meet is a coach! However, the actual value a coach can provide is often fuzzy or unclear. Particularly when it comes to career coaching, what a coach can and cannot do for you can be even more unclear! Today, we’re talking about 3 ways that a career coach can help you.

Here are a few of the most common reasons to work with a coach.

A career coach can help you figure out your next step

When you’re growing up the next step is so simple. Every year you move on to the next grade. For many of us, after that we moved on to college or a technical school, then the direction was “get a job.” 

Now that you’re an adult, it’s less clear! Especially if the job or career you chose isn’t making you happy anymore, knowing what to do next can feel very overwhelming. Suddenly you’re faced with so many questions, like:

• “Do I need to go back to school?”
• “Will I have to take a pay cut?”
• “Should I start my own business?”
• “How can I be sure this next move will be better than what I’m experiencing right now?”

These questions can be very overwhelming! It’s normal to be cautious about your next career move, especially if you’re moving away from something that feels safe, even if it’s making you unhappy.

Coaches are specially trained to help you figure out what exactly you want for your next step and can help you put together a plan to get there. Your friends, family, and even mentors may have their own opinions of what you should be doing. A coach’s only job is to support you in finding your own decision.

Here at Ama La Vida, we use a process called Illuminate Your Purpose to strategically help you tackle this exact question. The program is a combination of eCoaching modules and 1:1 conversations with your coach. You’ll explore your passions, values and gifts to define your purpose. 

We’ll then help you overlay your non-negotiables with that insight to identify what options you have, and then guide you in evaluating them yourself.

It’s never our agenda. It’s your own discovery process.

A career coach can help you catch simple mistakes

One of our coaches tells the story of someone in his network who was referred to him. The man had been searching for a job for months without any response. His experience and resume were spot on for the roles he wanted. No one could figure out why he wasn’t snapped up for a new role!

The coach asked the man to send him his resume so he could see for himself. The man sent him his resume over email, only to reveal an old email address he’d been using that was explicit and suggestive! (I’ll spare you the details) He hadn’t even realized it. Oops!

Easy enough to fix, though!

Sometimes small mistakes like improperly formatting your resume or forgetting to send a thank you note can be sabotaging all your hard work. 

A career coach will help you catch these mistakes to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward.

A career coach can help you plan ahead

Here’s possibly the biggest benefit to working with a coach. Time and time again we see clients come to us who are absolutely miserable in their jobs, or, even worse, recently laid off. They’re overwhelmed, stressed out, and not sure how to move forward.

Of course we’re here to help, but the reality is, you’re so much better off being proactive in your career planning, rather than waiting and being reactive in an unpleasant situation. In other words, we want you to run toward a career you love, not away from a bad work situation. 

Creating a 5-year plan or 10-year plan can feel overwhelming. It may not even be necessary. However, developing a vision of what direction you want to take your career is invaluable. A coach will help you craft your goals so they’re crystal clear, as well as measurable so you can stay on track.

As they say, the best defense is a great offense. Let’s help you take back control of your career!

A career coach will not…

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t let you know what a coach won’t do for you. A coach can’t:

• Tell you what to do with your life
• Apply to jobs for you
• Act as a recruiter or match you with job openings

Ready to get started?

Our relationship strategists would love to chat with you! We’ll learn more about your personal situation and then match you with the right coach to meet your needs.