What is Career Coaching?
Career Coaching is specifically designed to help you to enhance your career. This can be in a variety of ways:
- Enhance your performance in your current job therefore increasing your chances of promotion and personal fulfilment in the work.
- Support you in identifying and land a new job in another company but within a similar field to your current one.
- Identify a new career path and support you in making the change.
- Support a transition into self-employment or setting up a new business.
What is it and how does it work?
Over the course of a coaching program you will, using a variety of exercises and discussions, assess exactly where you are and clarify the goal you wish to reach. The coach will then work with you to create a plan of action, identifying milestones along the way, and support you in moving through this plan to ensure you reach your required goal. The coach is also there to enable you to handle any challenges that may occur during this process of change, and help you meet and move past these challenges. These are the things that might have stopped or stalled your progress in the past. Part of the process can also include brainstorming for new ideas, creative problem solving techniques and different approaches to widen the search for the perfect career move or change.
The history and how it was developed
Coaching developed in the 80’s in the USA, the main proponent being Thomas Leonard, who recognised a need for a program that supported people in moving forward with their lives; going from where they are right now to where they wish to be. This was different from Counselling or Therapy (where he started his career), which tends to address situations from the past, things that stop people moving forward. On seeing this need he developed the idea and created the first training for coaches.
What happens during a treatment or session?
Depending on where you are throughout the process each session differs. In general each session will include an update as to the progress of the client, looking at how certain assigned tasks went, what if any problems came up and discussion as how to move forward. It can be just as revealing as to why a client did do something as to why they didn’t as it often unearths he sabotage element of ourselves, that part of us that has often stopped our progress in the past. During the hour session the coach will discuss the next steps, any hesitancy around those steps, and agree on the next tasks. This ensures that the client will always be making progress towards their chosen goal.
Initial consultation: Many Coaches offer free initial session, normally an hour in length, more often than not via the phone.
Session time: Generally one hour
Process: Most coaches set up a coaching program that entails weekly or bi-weekly sessions and many offer additional support between sessions. There is normally a minimum time commitment, most coaches stating a six-month program as being the most effective length to ensure success. Themajority of coaching takes place on the phone, but can also be face to face if preferred.
Who and what it is good for?
Career Coaching is a useful support for any person of any age wishing to improve or change their work
Who is it not good for?
One thing to consider is that the person entering coaching is ready to make changes in their lives, enthusiastic for change and willing to look at and move past what has stopped them in the past. If there is something in their lives that holds them back from that, something very painful or inhibiting, then it is possible that the client would benefit from some counselling before focusing on working with a coach
Tips on choosing a suitable practitioner
Set up a free consultation and only work with a coaching with whom you feel a rapport. You need to be on the same wavelength to be able to work together effectively.
How much will it cost?
This varies from Coach to Coach. Most have a monthly program and the average cost is between £200 - £250 per month