A career transition coach can be a great resource if you are feeling uncertain or frustrated in your current career and are considering ways to find new work. A coach will work with you to provide a variety of helpful resources, such as information on the job market in your field and advice about how to use social media for maximum professional success. They also offer other services like resume writing, interview coaching, and salary negotiation.
Tips for choosing a career transition coach
Below are some tips for finding a solid career transition coach.
- Reputation
The most important thing to look for in a career transition coach is their reputation. Simply put, you should find someone who has positive feedback from clients who have been coached by them. Reputation is important because it indicates the success rate of coaching clients. If a coach’s methods are effective, then other clients will continue to recommend him or her.
- Pricing
Coaches can also charge a fee for their services, though the amount charged is up to the coach. No matter how much a coach charges, be sure to ask about their cancellation policy and if they offer refunds or will continue to provide services even after payment has been made.
- Passport authentication
To ensure that the career transition coach is legitimate, you should ask them to submit their passport, driver’s license and tax number as well as give you their phone number and email address so you can verify them further with governmental entities and/or official agencies in your area. Each of these three documents must have a separate barcode on it which indicates it has been authenticated by an official government document or agency.
- Length of service
Be sure to ask your coach how long they have been in business or if they have a history of success with coaching clients. A coach who has been in the field for a while will be more likely to understand your needs and provide you with helpful information.
- Requests for new clients
Most reputable coaches are happy to be matched up with new clients from time to time, giving them a chance to assist you in finding your next position in the industry. If a coach is not open for new clients, then chances are good that there’s something wrong with their business model or that they have lost their way as a career transition coach.
- References
Going through references is important because they will let you know how your career coach deals with clients and can give you a sense of his or her personality. If a coach has a good relationship with their former clients, then it might work well for you too.
- Background information
You should also ask to see the candidate’s resume and to know about their professional background. A background in human resources is helpful, but it is not a requirement in order to provide effective coaching services.
- Specialties
Some career transition coaches draw upon their own personal experiences to help you with your job search. If you prefer to have a coach who also went through a career transition, then you should ask them about what kind of experience they have had and if they are willing to work with someone in your situation.
- Hours of operation
It is important for a coach to be available when it is most convenient for the client, so it’s best if he or she is open during normal business hours while adhering to any specific schedules that might be required by the client. It’s also ideal if the coach will take calls or video calls when necessary.