There are a lot of questions out there about what career coaching is and who can benefit from it. The truth is that coaching can benefit almost anyone at one time or another.
These are the most frequent questions I get when I talk about coaching with others. There are coaches for nearly everything, and my answers reflect specifically how I work with my clients.
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What is a career coach?
A coach is someone who comes alongside you, and helps you accomplish more than you could do alone. A career coach does exactly that, focusing on your work and career. Professional athletes wouldn’t think about working without a coach, but most people don’t think anything of doing exactly that with their work. Your biggest asset isn’t your car or your house, it’s your ability to create an income through meaningful work.
How is coaching different from counseling?
Coaching and counseling are very different. One isn’t better than the other, but they serve different purposes. Coaching is forward focused, while counseling also works to resolve issues from the past.
When you start working with a coach, the focus is all about the future and how to succeed moving forward. I am not a counselor, and I don’t pretend to be. If you want to talk about your childhood, then you probably aren’t a good fit for coaching.
What sorts of things do you work on in a career coaching session?
I focus on all areas related to work. This often spills over into other areas of life– like finances. I start the process with an intake questionnaire that I use to tailor a coaching program to the client. We may focus on basics like goal setting, resumes, and interviewing – or on something bigger like career constraints, and how to overcome them.
Why don’t you just do this for free? Do people in career transition have money to spend on coaching?
Depending on circumstances, I often do coaching for free. I also don’t charge for an initial coaching session, and in some cases this is all a client needs. However, in most cases I do charge for ongoing services for the same reason other service providers charge. More importantly, there is a much higher value placed on something you pay for.
When coaching results in making more money, or being happier, or finding work more quickly, then the modest amount of money spent on coaching becomes less of a concern. In short, I charge because I am creating value for my clients.
Also, I don’t charge by the hour. I think there is an inherent conflict of interest in charging for coaching by the hour, so my pricing is based on an agreed period of time. So, when we are working together you can relax if our time is running longer than planned. I also clearly list my coaching rates.
Who can you help? What are your areas of specialization?
I believe it is important for a coach to have actually done the things he/she is coaching others to do. This is why I offer a free initial coaching session. If I believe a client would be better served with a counselor or a coach with different experiences, I refer them early in the process.
I have experience in the consumer packaged goods, medical devices, and packaging industries. Within those industries I have had roles in warehousing, operations, logistics, supply-chain, sales/marketing, and forecasting. Those experiences translate into an ability to coach a wide variety of people. I work with college students entering the workforce all the way up to to senior managers wanting to maximize their work. I should also mention it isn’t necessary to have a degree to benefit from coaching.
What else should I know about working with you?
I am very practical in my approach. I don’t do gimmicks or make promises I can’t keep. Also, I have a day job – so coaching sessions are conducted in the evenings and on weekends. I work with people all over the country via telephone, so geography isn’t an issue. If you happen to live in the greater Toledo, Ohio, area I am happy to meet with you in person.
I do guarantee my services. I don’t want your money if you aren’t happy with the results. Period.
How do you get clients?
Glad you asked. Most of my clients come from referrals, and from visitors to this blog. Please make sure anyone you refer to me mentions your name, so I can be sure to send you a special thank-you.
I’m in. How do I get started?
You won’t regret it. Go here and fill out the contact form. Alternatively, you can email me. If you want to get ahead of the game, download and fill out this form which we’ll use during your initial free coaching session.
Question: It what areas of your life have you used a coach in the past? Maybe a nutritionist, a personal trainer, or someone else? I’d love to hear your experience in the comments.
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