Save Time, Effort And Money With A Career Coach

When I tell people that I am a career coach, I am often asked what a career coach does. People know about sports coaches or may even have heard of a life coach like Martha Beck, who writes articles for “O, The Oprah Winfrey Magazine.”  When I describe what I do, there is often an “aha” moment and a smile comes to the faces of people that I talk with. You see, that is because I help people find the work that is best suited for them; work that they will like if not love. The smile is because most people can relate to wanting guidance at some point in their career—to be able to talk with someone about their interests and passions and how to make them a reality. 

If the concept of using a coach to help you with your career seems a novel concept, many high-level professionals engage coaches to help them navigate their careers. Executive coaches help individuals to better understand their motivations, define and achieve their goals and provides advice. Wouldn’t you like to have a knowledgeable person help you do the same thing for your career?

I see three big benefits of engaging a career coach to help you. A career coach can save you three things: time, effort and yes, money.

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Saving Time

One of the greatest strengths of a career coach is that they understand the job search process. Many are former recruiters or HR professionals like me, and they have been working for companies in their Talent Acquisition department or may have worked for an agency that works to place job seekers with employers. Because of this experience, we understand the entire process from resume submittal to final offer, and we can help you navigate through it faster. With the help of a career coach, a client should be able to find a new position quicker than they could on their own.

If you are looking to change your career focus, this can be challenging. Often, career changers run into roadblocks, because they do not have experience in the new field. Career coaches can help these individuals come up with a strategic plan to start networking within their chosen career path, devise a resume to capture the transferable skills and assist with developing answers to interview questions that will demonstrate the ability to be successful in a new field.

One thing employers are seeing is more job-hopping. Those born between 1957 and 1964 (younger baby boomers) switched jobs on average 12.3 times from age 18 until age 52. While there are many advantages to moving jobs with greater frequency (more responsibility and compensation), most people I speak with would rather find a job that they can stay with for a while - to build skills and a sense of community. Career coaches help their clients understand which jobs are a good fit in terms of compensation as well as provide development opportunities and a positive work environment. Wouldn’t it save so much time, in the long run, to find that type of company and work earlier in your career instead of going from job to job?

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Saving Effort

If you seem to experience the same types of issues with the jobs you have had and do not know why a career coach can help. A career coach will ask a lot of questions to help you better understand yourself and what is important to you about your career. A career coach can help you break through barriers that are keeping you from success and happiness.  They can help you unlock your potential. Could you do this yourself? Maybe. But with coaching sessions, you can have more clarity about yourself and how to get yourself on a forward path much faster.

Same thing if you are in the middle of a job search and are not getting any callbacks. There is a reason for this. A career coach can analyze what you are doing and help you devise a more effective job search strategy. Instead of just applying to job boards with no success, a career coach will help you look at other avenues to find jobs and get your information in front of the decision-makers.

In marketing there is something known as brand strategy, It helps consumers differentiate one product from another. In the career world, there is the same concept except it is known as personal branding. What value do you show the world in terms of your work capabilities? Career coaches can help you develop your personal brand statement and how to market yourself in the job market. This helps you differentiate yourself from others also looking for work, and it helps you to have an advantage over your competition who either do not have a personal brand or one that is not well defined.

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Save Money/Earn More Money

Yes, you can actually save money by using a career coach. Hear me out on this. Yes, a career coach will cost you money. They do not work for free. Yet they can save you money in the long-run because they often can help you land a job faster than you might be able to with your own efforts. Assistance with setting up a powerful LinkedIn profile could mean you are found by a corporate recruiter. With a well-written resume that tells a great story about you and emphasizes your personal brand, you could be fast-tracked to be put in front of the hiring manager for an interview. A job search that could have taken months could be reduced to weeks, a big deal if you are currently unemployed.

Career coaches can help you earn more money. This can be done by teaching you how to better negotiate an offer or how to make networking connections. These learned skills will benefit you with not only potentially more compensation but the ability to find more opportunities for yourself in the future.

The best way that a career coach can help you save/make money is to help you find the best job and best career for you. Having happiness in your work life is so important, and too many people struggle with this. If you are unhappy, this can lead to stress and subsequent health issues. Time away from work and medical bills can cost you a lot of money. Why not find the work that can make you happier? As an example, there are an estimated 28.8 million small businesses (employing less than 500 people) in the US. There are options. Career coaches can help you find the best option for you and your unique needs, wants, and desires. 

So if you are on the fence about whether to engage a career coach, know that there are a multitude of reasons why a career coach could make a positive impact on your career. Since the average worker spends 1,811 hours on the job each year, isn’t it better to spend the time at a place doing the work you really like, if not love?

Shelley Piedmont is a job search coach. She wants to help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. If you need career coaching, resume preparation, interview skills assessment, or LinkedIn profile assistance, she can help. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.