by Carol Smith, Employment Readiness Systems
So you want to work with a job / career coach! Do you feel stuck and unable to think of, or know how to pursue effective ways to reach your employment or career change goals? Working with someone who has the ability to help you discover your inner passions so that you can pursue training and education, or help you organize your job search efforts to find employment in a career that is meaningful for you - can be well worth the investment. If you are unable to count on a friend or family member who will assist you in this regard, you may need to hire your own coach. Some things to keep in mind:
- A good career coach will communicate with you prior to your first visit about what his or her role is as a coach.
- Do not expect your coach to make decisions for you.
- A career coach should ask you in advance to come to the first visit with specific information about your skills, abilities, education and work history as well as a brief outline or statement about your career objective, so as to make your first visit as productive as possible.
- Be prepared to inform your coach about what you hope to accomplish by working with him or her and what budget you have to work in. NEVER be shy about asking the coach about his / her fees and if they are negotiable. Before your first appointment, you should know what you will be paying.
- Always come prepared to subsequent meetings having completed any assignments that your coach has given you. A good coach will go over assignments at the previous meeting and will make sure that you understand the objective of the assignment and how completing it will help you reach your goals – and will make sure of your willingness to do it. If you have agreed to it and understand its necessity, then make sure you follow through. Now is not the time to PROCRASTINATE!
- If you’ve seen the wisdom in working with a coach – take ADVANTAGE of his / her knowledge and expertise. Let the coach help you devise and implement a plan. If your coach refers you to a community resource – make sure you follow through with the connection.
- Never leave a meeting with your coach without knowing what your next session is going to focus on. Remember that this is a team effort and you should feel comfortable with the direction that your plan is going in. Ask questions and clarify. Let your coach know when something doesn’t feel right, or you disagree with a suggestion.
- Be on time to planned meetings, and avoid waiting until the last minute to reschedule a meeting. Be courteous and respectful of the coach’s time and chances are that they will bend over backward to help you reach your goals.
- Check in with yourself after each meeting with your coach – how do you feel? Are you making progress? Do you feel closer to meeting your goals? Do you feel some relief at having shared your story with someone who can provide you with direction? Are you feeling confident about your ability to work more on your own? If your answer is YES each time – then you are working well with your coach.
Good luck - and feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions about working with a career / job search coach. I’d love to give you some direction! Csmith@ersystems.biz
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