Career Coaching

Career coaching is making a come-back in the mainstream news. With so many people being suddenly thrust out into the job market, the idea of having a coach to help you through these uncertain days is very attractive. People want to go to someone who will tell them what to do and how to do in a confident, inspiring tone of voice.

Someone to tell you what to do and how to do it . . .you have that already. It’s called a boss.

Career coaching is not bossing—it’s coaching. There’s a difference. With bossing, and bosses, you get a clear set of instructions to follow and deviating from those instructions results in discipline. With coaching, you get advice and guidance, but are free to pursue the options that seem best to you after careful thought. You have the option to take the advice or leave it.

An option . . . choice . . . it’s scary stuff. For those used to merely following orders this can be uncharted territory.

Yet this uncharted territory is exactly where you need to be with your career coach. You see, career coaching doesn’t give you a step-by-step guide to finding a new job or making another $5,000 by the end of the year. Career coaching helps you wrestle with the issues that really matter in your career.

How can I be successful at my work?

How do I find time for the things that are truly important to me?

How can I take control of my life and my career?

Finding a good career coach can help you address all of these points and many more. Career coaching is an exploratory consulting process that can show you how to articulate your dreams and your purpose in life and then translate those dreams and that purpose into meaningful action steps. You can begin to plan the things you need to do today, tomorrow, and next week to bring you closer to your goals.

Career coaching can also be a great way to get yourself focused on reconciling your personal purpose with your work life. Many of you have a vision of your life that may not include your current job. Working with a career coach you can begin to plan the transitions you will need to make to bring your career in line with your personal hopes and dreams. Because a career coach is focused on the life span of your career, you will benefit from sitting down and working with someone who takes a long view and can help you with your strategic decision making.

Finally, career coaching is not for the meek. If you just want to be told what to do and obey orders automatically, then you don’t want a career coach. If you want to be challenged to improve yourself, forced out of your rut and spurred into action on your goals, then a career coach is exactly what you need. Take the opportunity today to find yourself a coach that can help you see the path you need to take to be successful, focused, and in control.