What is a career coach?

Welcome back part 2 of my ‘Spring clean your career’ mini guide. Last week I shared some questions to ask yourself if you’re considering 1:1 coaching (click here if you missed it and want to have a read). If you have decided that it’s right for you, then this week I’ve got some suggestions for choosing the perfect career coach:

1. Choose an accredited coach

I would highly recommend working with someone who is accredited by a recognised coaching body such as the ICF (International Coaching Federation), the AC (Association for Coaching), or EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council). The coaching industry is currently unregulated so it’s up to the individual coach to make sure they have adequate training and that they are accredited. If a coach is accredited then they will have to abide by that coaching body’s code of conduct and code of ethics, and there will be legal processes in place in case you ever feel the need to make a complaint. Of course I hope that never happens and that you have an excellent experience with your coach, but knowing that they are accredited means there is some oversight built in and it can give you extra peace of mind.

2. Can they help you achieve the results you are looking for?

Have a read through their case studies and testimonials. Do you recognise yourself in those testimonials? Do they have lots of experience working with clients in a similar situation to yours? Did you receive a word of mouth recommendation for them from someone you trust? Of course it’s important to say that a coach isn’t there do the work for you or provide a ‘magic’ solution, but knowing that they have a track record in helping others in a similar situation to yours can be very useful when making a choice about who to work with.

3. Do you feel a personal connection with them?

You want to pick a coach who ‘gets’ you. Can you see yourself spending time with them? You will be working together (whether it’s virtually or online) for potentially several sessions over a period of weeks or months. So do their values match yours? Do they have an ethos and a message that you resonate with? Try following them online, signing up to their newsletter, and reading their blog posts to get a feel for what they’re like and what they stand for. Most coaches will also offer a free initial ‘Getting to know you’ call which will help you to decide.

4. Don’t just choose a ‘yes’ coach

Change can be a difficult and painful process sometimes. So if you are truly ready for change in your life and willing to do what it takes, then you want to work with a coach who will gently challenge you, keep you accountable and cheer you on. If you encounter something difficult which you’ve always tried to avoid in the past, then your ideal coach will be there to work through it with you and help you overcome it once and for all. Of course if there is a blurring of lines between coaching and counselling, then they will know to signpost you to a mental health professional if they feel it’s more appropriate.

So there you have it. Has this two part mini guide been useful? I’d love to know if it has helped you make a decision about whether to go for coaching. And of course if you feel that after all these considerations, that I might be a good fit as YOUR career coach, then feel free to book a 15min, no obligation call to discuss your career situation further.

What do you really want in 2022? 🎄

The end of this year hasn't been what I expected.

We had a recent loss in our extended family which has left me feeling sad of course, but also reflective and asking some big questions.

Usually this is the time of year which, as a business owner, you start setting big goals for the year ahead.

How much do you want to earn? How many clients do you need each month? What will your marketing strategy be?

And yet I don't feel motivated by any of these things right now.

Of course these things are still important because running a business does take planning and preparation, but I'm much more preoccupied by what my WHOLE life will look like next year. How can I make the most of my time? Who will I spend it with? How can I support my body and mind to stay healthy and happy?

It's funny that these are the questions my clients have been asking themselves too. They also want to figure out how to maintain a balance and not let work crowd out their personal lives. And also how to set clear boundaries with family, friends and colleagues so that they can carve out more time for themselves and do the things they enjoy.

We've all been through a lot during the past couple of years, and possibly have come through it asking more questions about what we really want from our lives and careers.

If that sounds like you, here are a little exercise called 'Stop, Start, Continue' to help you figure out your 2022 plans:

Think back to 12 months ago…

• What were you doing? What was happening in your life? Where were you working? Where were you living? How were you feeling? What were your hopes and plans for the next 12 months?

• Now consider what hasn’t gone so well in your life and career? What will you stop doing?

• What do you want to start doing for yourself and your career during the next 12 months? What have you been putting off?

• And lastly, what has gone well in your life and career during that time? What are you proud of, and what will you continue doing in the future?

Hope you find this helpful. I'd love to hear how you got on.

Have a wonderful, restful Christmas and New Year and I'll see you on the other side.

Juliette xx

Why I created my online career change course

The next round of The Career Change Formula is coming up soon, and I wanted to share with you why I created this online programme.

Six years ago I started my career coaching business. I went part time in my old job at first, seeing clients on the days I had free. I started to get a sense of the clients I loved to work with and who loved to work with me.

They were mostly mid-career women, some with kids and some without, who were incredibly hard working, and had a lot to offer their organisations and the industries they worked in.

They also really wanted to make a difference and find work that they cared deeply about, as well as creating a better work life balance for themselves and their loved ones.

However, they were often plagued by self-doubt and lack of confidence. They weren't making time to go after their dreams, their potential wasn't being recognised at work and they weren't finding ways to express and share their ideas.

And this was hard to see as a Coach. And as a woman. Because there were many clients, and indeed friends of mine, who were in a similar situation.

And I recognised it in myself too. The self-doubt at times, the negative inner voices, and the holding back from going after deeply held goals and dreams.

So I decided to really niche in to working with women who want to find meaningful work they love.

I ended up broadening the scope of what I worked on with clients, so that we considered their lives and careers as a whole.

My 1:1 programme took them along series of steps which look deeply at who the client is, what their values and strengths are and what gives them a sense of purpose. They also work on how to build their self-confidence and lean on their most 'powerful self'.

And I lengthened the amount of time we spent working together, because a career change and self-discovery journey takes time and reflection, and isn't something that can be 'fixed' in a handful of sessions.

A few years in, I was getting more and more feedback from women saying that they would love to work with me 1:1 but really struggled with finding the time and juggling everything else in their busy lives.

So I started to wonder if I could create a self-study online version of my programme especially for them, which offered more flexibility and still gave them the coaching support from me which is so crucial to staying on track and working through any obstacles along the way.

And so The Career Coaching Formula was born! A 12 week online course which you can study at your own pace fitting it around your job, kids or general busy life. And crucially it includes access to a closed Facebook support group for people on the course, where you can ask me questions and also network with other participants on a similar career change journey.

Over the next two weeks I'll be talking more in-depth about what's included and how it all works, so stay tuned! xx