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.
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
Do any of these women sound like you?
So I'm not sure how well you know me. You might be brand new to my website, or have been following me for a while now. But just in case you're not aware of what I do, or who I do it for, I thought I'd give you a little overview...
WHO?
So essentially I’m a Mindset Coach and I help women find clarity and confidence in their careers and businesses.
Maybe lately you’ve been feeling called to…
Finally make that career shift into more fulfilling work?
Launch or grow your own business?
Start that creative project or book you’ve been dreaming about?
Feel confident enough to go for that promotion?
But there might be doubts and fears standing in the way like:
Am I ready?
Am I qualified?
Will I fail?
Will other people judge me?
Will I make enough money?
Will I still be able to be there for my family?
Will I end up feeling burned out and exhausted?
Which is where I come in. I have worked with all kinds of women (and a handful of men) from all sorts of professional backgrounds, including Event Organisers, University Academics, Project Managers, HR Executives, Marketing Managers, Strategists, Designers and Yoga Teachers.
Some are still in full time employment, some are taking a career break and some are freelance, but what they all want is to do something they truly love, feel more confident and create more balance in their lives.
HOW?
I really believe that often the real change that we need to make is internal.
Clients usually come to me wanting to make an external change in their careers, and yes sometimes that is absolutely what needs to happen. But what I see time and time again, is that the issues they are experiencing at work are also issues which affect other areas of their lives too.
So simply job hopping or quitting, without addressing the root causes of why they feel stuck, unfulfilled, frustrated or lacking in confidence, will mean that these issues get carried around from job to job wherever they go.
Which is where mindset coaching can help. Together we can get you unstuck, help you recognise your unique gifts and strengths, release the blocks and fears which are holding you back, and develop the confidence to create a fulfilling career or business that you absolutely love.
WHAT?
I work with women in one of the four areas below, just click on the heading which resonates most with you to learn more about my coaching programmes:
Career Clarity Coaching: Learn more
Career Confidence Coaching: Learn more
Startup Coaching: Learn more
Business Coaching: Learn more
So there’s a brief overview of who I am and how I can help you. Now if you want to, feel free to reply in the comments and tell me about you and your current career situation. I'd love to get to know you better!
