What Can a Career Coach Do for You?

The busiest time of the week for me as a career coach starts Sunday night. Everyone is winding down from their weekend events and preparing to return to work on Monday. For some, they look forward to this with anticipation. For many others however, Sunday night brings the dread and stress of returning to a job that they hate, in a company they don’t like, with work that is unfulfilling or not aligned with their purpose and values. Based upon the number of inquiries that I receive from new client prospects; this number is larger than you might think.

Why is that? What can a career coach do for you that you cannot accomplish on your own? First, a career coach can help you to get clear on what is important to you. They can help you move from a state of confusion to one of clarity for your future. They can help you to figure out the specific things that you don’t like or what is not working for you in where you presently are in your career. Then they can offer you a confidential safe space to explore new career options that may be of interest you. They can help you to establish clearly defined career goals and partner with you to develop a strategy consisting of action plans or a road map to advance you to next step in your career journey.

A good career coach will be there to champion your successes along the way but will also challenge your excuses as to why you feel you cannot accomplish your goals. Finding ways to overcome perceived barriers to your success is a key factor in continuing your forward momentum as you implement the changes you desire in your career. One of the most important roles that a career coach can serve that you cannot accomplish on your own is to keep you accountable for your actions, inactions, and decisions. After all, the abilities that you need to get you where you want to be are already held inside of you. Blaming others for not being where you want to be is just an excuse that you tell yourself when you don’t want to face the truth about why you are stuck in your story. When a career coach calls you on your limiting beliefs, they help you to grow past your excuses to create your successes.

Can you afford to hire a career coach? Are you seeking to transition from one job to another, or are you seeking a total career transformation and reinvention? Your needs in the skillset, expertise, and programs that a career coach offers will vary depending upon the outcome that you desire. Resume reviews will not yield the same results that a desired shift in your mindset will to seek a career that fulfills your purpose. A common saying is “you don’t know what you don’t know.” This is where a career coach can help you to determine what it is that you really want. The more specific you can become in what you hope to gain by hiring a coach, the more likely you are to be offered the appropriate program to successfully achieve those results.

Can you afford not to hire a career coach if you are seeking change? A friend of mine often says “just do the math.” Let’s look at three scenarios:

Scenario #1:
You want to change jobs to achieve more work/life balance, so you can spend more time with your family since it seems like your children are growing so fast.

Pros:  

• Spending more time during the holidays with your family, both near and far
• Attending your children’s school plays, soccer games, and dance recitals
• Creating memories through backyard barbecues and family vacations
• Sharing the workload with your spouse so you can have more leisure time together

Cons:

• Upgrading your resume, LinkedIn profile, interview skills, and job-search strategies

Summary:

• Financial investment: one-time cost to hire a coach
• Time investment:  1-month minimum
• Net Benefit: Priceless time gained to spend with your family

Scenario #2:
You want to explore new career options such as promotions within the same industry or even transitioning into a new career field that more aligns with your values.

Pros:

• Reducing the well-known negative effects of stress on your health
• Enjoying getting out of bed and going to work each day
• Developing professionally and personally
• Pursuing the opportunity to make more money – potentially a lot more money

Cons:

• Spending time on career exploration activities

Summary:

• Financial investment: one-time cost to hire a coach
• Time investment: 3-months minimum
• Net Benefit: Long-term higher career satisfaction and income

Scenario #3:
You want to transform your career into one in which you find meaning and purpose in the work that you do.

Pros:

• Feeling empowered by taking control of your career into your own hands
• Finding work that ignites your passion and excitement
• Creating a lifestyle that is reflective of your values and dreams
• Making quantum leaps in your income or energy

Cons:

• Making true self-discovery a priority in your life

Summary:

• Financial investment: one-time cost to hire a coach
• Time investment: 6-months minimum
• Net Benefit: Living the life you were born to live

The choice is yours. If the net long-term benefit of more time, money, or living your purpose outweighs the short-term cost of hiring a career coach, you can’t afford not to hire a one, and the sooner the better, to help you to achieve your career goals and the lifestyle that you envision.

If you would like to learn more about the coaching programs that I offer, I would be happy to schedule a FREE Discovery Call with you. Simply visit my website at www.synergyempowermentcoaching.com or you can email me for the link to my calendar at shelley@synergyempowermentcoaching.com. It all starts with a single change – it starts with your decision to commit to creating a better life for yourself!