Q: Why would I need a Career Coach?
A: If you’ve ever utilized the services of an Insurance Agent, a Realtor, an Attorney, a Financial Advisor, or an Accountant, you’ve recognized the value of professional services. An experienced Career Coach will save you time and money by helping you get back to work sooner than you would on your own.
Q: What’s the single biggest mistake people make in a job search?
A: There are so many. If I were to sum it up I would say the single biggest mistake is people don’t know what they don’t know about conducting a job search. Generally it’s the things that people don’t know they should be doing that hold them back.
Q: Will a Career Coach find me a job?
A: Absolutely not! No more than a boxing coach will get in the ring and fight the fight for you. A coach is your teacher and accountability partner. He or she will give you all the training you need. But it’s still up to you to fight the fight. And by the way, I would run screaming from anyone that says they are going to find you a job for a fee.
Q: How do I find a reputable and qualified Career Coach?
A: Well if you’re reading this I’d like to think you’ve found one. But here are some qualifying questions to ask.
- How long have you been doing Career Coaching? Because of the economy there are a lot of unqualified people entering the coaching business.
- Where did they get their experience at? It’s not enough to say “I’ve done this for 2, 5 or 20 years.” Find out where they’ve worked and check out the reputation of that firm.
- Ask for references or testimonials. Some coaches provide them. Some don’t because of confidentiality reasons. But it doesn’t hurt to ask.
- Most important, ask for an initial consultation and see if you get a good feeling about the coach. Trust your judgment and walk away if you don’t.
Unfortunately “Certified” doesn’t mean very much in this field. There are lots of people taking courses and becoming “Certified Career Coaches” or “Certified Resume Writers” with zero experience.
Q: What makes you different from all the other Career Coaches out there?
A: Great question! The answer is I’ve been in the recruiting and coaching business for a combined 29 years. As a Headhunter, I recruited and negotiated deals for professionals from Engineers to Presidents at salary levels from near entry level up to packages into 7 figures. As a coach, I’ve helped hundreds of people discover both themselves and new rewarding careers.
