Career coaching is something that many professionals use when they want to make a change in their jobs. Still, just like career pathing, career coaching is a great thing for both the employee and the company.
What Is Career Coaching?
Career coaching is when an employee hires an outside expert, usually a coach, to help them decide what to do with their career and deal with problems at work. Some career coaches can also help with resumes, job negotiations, and interviews. People sometimes think of career coaches as a type of counselor. But the two are very different in important ways.
So throughout a few sessions, career counselors use different tests and interviews to give advice. On the other hand, a coach spends a lot of time with a customer and gets to know them well over time. Before deciding on a path, the coach and client look at several options together. Once employees start a new job, they stay in touch to get more advice.
Career Coaching in the Organization
People often go to a career coach when they feel they have no more options in their current job. Even if a person’s career path is going well, it is still a good idea to get career coaching before that point. When you’re desperate because you’ve reached a dead end, you might make bad decisions, like passing up opportunities with your current employer.
When things are going well, getting help from a career coach can help you stay calm and make better decisions. Because of this, companies should encourage workers to talk to a career coach on their own or via the HR/L&D department. A client can get help from a career coach to:
- Get ready for more responsibilities, especially if you’re a manager.
- Try new things at their current job, like shifting to a different department or moving to a new place.
- Identify your personal and professional skills shortages as technology changes and your preferences for developing certain soft skills.
Organizations that help with career coaching get many benefits, like a higher employee retention rate, more productivity, and better management skills.
This is my favourite part here is when colleagues feel empowered to reach their full potential by realisng how far they can go.
How to Choose the Best Career Coaching Services?
The best way to find the perfect career coach is to ask around or get recommendations from people you know. It can be tough to locate the right career coach. A referral may be the best way, but that isn’t always the best option. So, looking on Google or other social media sites is the best way to find someone you can trust.
Here are some tips to help you narrow down your choices.
- Do some research: Carefully look for a career coach like you would look for a job. Check out people’s LinkedIn profiles to see what people are saying about them, and talk to people in your network to get advice and referrals.
- Check if a company that offers career coaching has career coaches. Tell them that you like coaches with such backgrounds because they are qualified. Choose your person and don’t take the one they give you.
- If you’re looking for a career coach who works independently, you need to check their background before hiring them.
- Request a free initial consultation: This is good for both of you. You can find out if your coach is a good fit for you and if they can better meet your needs. Both sides must be willing to put in the effort for the training to work.
- If you don’t know much about the coach, choose a session that costs little or nothing. Some coaches can offer a free 15–20-minute trial, and others do the same thing for a very small fee.
The Process of Career Coaching
A career coaching session usually takes place in a one-on-one meeting. In the past, career coaching was often done in person. Now, more and more people are using virtual sessions, giving them more options because they can use a career coach anywhere in the globe.
Each session lasts around an hour and happens at least once a month. Sessions may happen more often if an employee quickly completes an action item. This is a common way for coaches to push their clients toward a big goal.
At the first meeting, we will discuss your work history, personal life, and the professional challenges you are facing now. The coach will then help the client reach possible career goals, often using a coaching model like GROW or OSKAR.
Another unique thing about coaching is that the client decides which path to take. The coach’s job is to work with the client to determine how realistic each step and the end goal are. So, the method is more like a question-and-answer session than real advice.
Conclusion
I hope you already know the answers. Students are under pressure from their peers and parents when making life-changing decisions. Career coaching is a very important task, and its need is growing in all areas of the business world today.
