How to become A Career Coach

• Career Counsellor
• Job Coach
• Career Advisor

What do Career Coaches do?

A Career Coach would typically need to:

• Advise clients on career-related choices, whether they are applying for entry-level jobs or making a career switch, and help them achieve their professional goals in a way that optimises their career satisfaction
• Evaluate clients’ educational and professional backgrounds; use aptitude tests to provide them with a better understanding of their personalities, interests and strengths
• Help clients define their short- and long-term career objectives and develop customised and long-term career growth plans and strategies to achieve those objectives, based on their interests, abilities and aspirations
• Guide clients on where to locate job openings and provide them with resources for job searching; train them in essential skills, such as networking, resume building, interviewing, and negotiating employment terms
• Assist them in deciding and taking their next steps to attain their career goals and guide them through job search challenges
• Focus on a particular area related to career progression, such as executive coaching, life coaching, or job transition counselling
• Meet with clients to discuss and resolve problems with work-life balance; counsel them to help them overcome any personal or workplace conflict that could be affecting their work performance
• Suggest modifications to workplaces or schedules to boost client productivity or reduce stress
• Keep in touch with clients throughout the coaching to check on their progress toward their goals

Career Coaches typically meet with clients in office facilities at private practices, career centres, schools, colleges and universities, or human resource departments. Coaching sessions may take place on an individual, group or organisational basis. Additionally, they might work with clients online or over a phone call.

Travel is typically needed to meet clients or attend conferences. 

Career Coaches typically work full time and put in at least 40 hours per week. However, given the likelihood of working freelance, you may have some flexibility in organising your schedule. To suit client availability, some Career Coaches may also work during the evenings and on the weekends.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Career Coaches can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting companies directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies.

Career Coaches are generally employed by: 

• Career Guidance Centres
• Human Resource Departments of Companies
• Higher Education Institutions
• Healthcare & Social Assistance Agencies
• Youth Services & Agencies

Professional associations and organisations, such as Career Directors International (CDI) and Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW), are crucial for Career Coaches interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Challenging for new or aspiring coaches to make a mark in a market saturated due to the rise in popularity of career coaching 
• The need to share office space and work in proximity to others given that most of your work is indoors
• The need to work outside regular business hours on assignments, such as reviewing client or student applications for jobs or resumes
• Lack of work-life balance and a feeling of isolation
• Health problems caused due to sitting down for long hours

Any academic program that a potential Career Coach takes up typically requires a period of supervised experience, such as an internship. Internships help you understand the responsibilities of a Career Coach and discover more about the field. They may also help you secure a job and network with people you may later work with.

Finding ways to work with people will help you build the skills you need to take up career coaching. You could begin to work as a tutor or volunteer at a charity organisation as early as high school. You could participate in or host panel talks in person or online at your school or college to learn about diverse careers and also inform the community about them. Talk to your career counsellors to learn more about skills assessment programs you may use for your clients later.

Prepare for your work to assess and guide clients by staying up to date with the local, regional, national, and international job market and learning about diverse careers, the education, skills, and experience they require, and their average pay. Attend careers days and fairs whenever and wherever possible. Look up job openings posted on job search websites or in the careers section on organisational websites of various organisations. Read the job descriptions of different roles and learn the latest technology applied to job search and networking. 

Extensive experience in a specialised career field or human resources and recruiting is also helpful to launch your role as a Career Coach.

Read about the profession and interview or job shadow experts working in career coaching to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers. 

Varying qualifications are required to become a Career Coach, depending on the employer. Most may be more concerned with a candidate’s relevant skills and experience as demonstrated by their resume and references, whereas others may ask for formal qualifications. 

Some Career Coaches may hold a specialised qualification in the field in which they have built their first or primary career. Others may possess a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, business administration, or a related field. Such programs teach you fundamental competencies for the role, including promoting development, providing group and individual counselling, collaborating with parents, schools, and community support systems, and using data to create, carry out, and assess counselling programmes. Understanding essential psychological topics, such as motivation, goal-setting and personality, is beneficial regardless of your educational background.

You may also earn a master’s degree in counselling, focusing on career development, to be qualified to assess clients and coach them.

Certification demonstrates a Career Coach’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination. When acquired from an objective and reputed organisation, it can help you stand out in a competitive job market, carry a significant salary premium of up to 18 per cent, increase your chances of advancement, and allow you to become an independent consultant. 

Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics. They also help you interact with diverse customers, comprehend various coaching techniques, and tackle their problems with greater empathy and understanding.

Research the professional organisations that offer credentialing services and choose the right one to suit your experience and goals. Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) credentials are valued across various industries. You may also apply for relevant certifications, such as the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC), by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and other relevant professional bodies. Consulting your mentors for advice or browsing job descriptions from different companies to learn about the emerging trends may help you choose the proper certification.

While Career Coaches typically do not need a licence to practise, confirming specific licensing requirements with your employer or local or national career coaching organisations is advisable. Licensure usually requires an application, processing fees, an examination, and relevant education and experience. 

An employment background check can include but is not limited to a person’s work history, education, credit history, motor vehicle reports (MVRs), criminal record, medical history, use of social media, and drug screening.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. Employees with consistently high levels of performance may be eligible for promotion every two to three years.

You may take on career coaching as a secondary career in addition to a successful, primary one or enter into it when you retire. Either way, you may advance in the field by specialising in a particular aspect of career coaching, such as executive coaching, life coaching, or job transition counselling.

Obtaining a coaching certification may also boost your clientele. It will demonstrate to potential customers that you have the knowledge and abilities required to assist them in achieving their objectives. Another way to build trust among your clientele is to join a professional organisation and sign up to be regularly monitored and assessed by certified coach supervisors.

Enhance your visibility on social media by posting short video-based tips and messages of value, preferably tying them in with your blog or website, to help you build and expand your followership. Eventually, becoming a speaker at local, national and international organisations and corporate events or authoring a book will help you gain more trust and visibility and be regarded as an authority in your field. You may offer to be a guest speaker on podcasts or offer short complimentary coaching sessions. 

Having relevant academic qualifications, adequate experience in a specialised field or human resource management, and strong referrals will accelerate your job prospects, as will skills such as listening, speaking, research, persuasiveness, and problem-solving.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Career Coach build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, 

formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows continual upskilling, regardless of age, job, or level of knowledge.

Employers typically provide on-the-job training to their newly hired Career Coaches, during which they learn from experienced supervisors by working under or shadowing them. You may build your credibility by demonstrating your professional growth through certification.

Closely observe the general job market, or you may focus on a specific industry. Do your research to spot patterns in the skills and responsibilities employers seek and note which sectors are growing. Gain a deeper grasp of how firms operate in professional and social spheres, which may also enable you to provide your clients with helpful advice and speed up their progress. The more current you are with employment trends, the better you can coach your clients or present suitable opportunities to them.

Career Coach vs Life Coach  

Although life coaches and Career Coaches overlap to an extent in that they assist clients in making sound decisions about their future, the breadth of each profession varies. A Life Coach facilitates clients in tackling diverse challenges or issues in their personal lives. In contrast, a Career Coach focuses on assisting them with making career decisions that align with their abilities and aspirations.

Career Coach vs Career Counsellor

The fundamental distinction between career counselling and career coaching is that a career counsellor uses past data to determine the best course of action. However, in career coaching, the expert also factors in the current situation and assists the client in achieving their goal accordingly. In general, those who have not already built a primary career enter career counselling instead of career coaching. 

Also, while Career Coaches often engage in independent work, career counsellors may offer similar services in employment with organisations that include high schools, community colleges, charities, or prison reentry programs. Career coaching aims to assist professionals, while career counselling usually aims to guide younger or disadvantaged individuals.

Potential Pros & Cons of Freelancing vs Full-Time Employment

Freelancing Career Coaches have more flexible work schedules and locations. They have full ownership of the business and can select their projects and clients. However, they experience inconsistent work and cash flow, which means more responsibility, effort and risk.

On the other hand, a full-time Career Coach has company-sponsored health benefits, insurance, and retirement plans. They have job security with a fixed, reliable source of income and guidance from their bosses. Yet, they may experience boredom due to a lack of flexibility, ownership, and variety.

When deciding between freelancing or being a full-time employee, consider the pros and cons to see what works best for you.

Meta-analytic studies reveal a highly weak correlation (r = .14) between salary and job satisfaction, indicating an overlap below 2% between the two across multiple cultures and pay levels.

The increasing internet and social media usage across the globe has made people aware of the variety of career choices available to them. While this is beneficial, it may sometimes engender confusion. When people struggle to choose the right career path or change tracks, they look up to Career Coaches to help them. Your coaching skills can help your clients make the correct career choice that enables them to grow personally and professionally.

Be curious and build your growth mindset. Become a master at coaching and establish a network based on trustworthy relationships. Do share with your clients what you accomplished before becoming a Career Coach and how it makes you a better and unique coach. Speak and coach from your heart, with a genuine passion for helping your client and reliable knowledge. Always protect client confidentiality.