What Does a
Career Coach Do?
“Career coaching is a type of personal coaching that helps people find greater fulfillment in their careers by establishing professional goals, creating a plan and overcoming obstacles that may be in the way.” Noomii Career Blog
Check out some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to help you get a better understanding of the role of a career coach and how to become one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What does a Career Coach do?
Answer: Career coaches assist their clients in identifying personal goals, discovering their strengths, values, skills and ask relevant questions for career moves. A coach is different from a mentor. A mentor is someone that is familiar with your industry and give you advice. A coach is someone that will ask you powerful questions to draw out insights, helping you gain clarity.
Question: How much do Career Coaches charge?
Answer: The average cost amounts to approximately $120-$200 per session. You can ask if the coach provides a trial session. Some coaches can charge you from $450 to $1000 a month depending on what package you get from them. Usually executive coaching will cost much higher. I charge $450 for Career Progress (3 sessions) and $700 for Career Success (5 sessions).
Question: How long is the coaching session?
Answer: Most coaching sessions probably fall in the 45 to 60 minute range. Your coach may provide other out of session support like Whatsapp messaging and email. My clients usually meet me on alternate week over 2 months if they sign up for 5 sessions. If they are only doing the personality assessment, then it will be 1 session.
Question: How is the coaching done?
Answer: The coaching conversation is confidential and the coach will ask you what would make this session fruitful to you. Setting the objective at the start of the session will ensure you get the most of out the conversation. If the coach is not trained under the International Coach Federation (ICF) recognized institute, then they might be sharing with you good practices such as interview tips, resume writing and other useful information to help you get a job.
Question: How do I talk to a Career Coach?
Answer: Be open and share freely since the conversation is confidential. Think deep as you reflect on the questions asked.The chemistry between you and the coach is important. You can speak to the coach to understand his/her coaching style before engaging them.
Question: How do I plan my career?
Answer: List down some career options. Read this article on the 5 steps to find your dream career. Choose the best available option. A Career Coach can find you gain clarity in your direction. If financially you are stable, don’t rush into a job just for the salary.
Question: What is the GROW model for coaching?
Answer: GROW stands for Goal – Reality – Options – Way forward. It is a simple but power coaching model. Some coaches use GROW to converse with their clients.
Question: Can I coach myself?
Answer: Short answer is yes, but the value of having a coach is for accountability and also to avoid procrastination.
Question: How do I become a career coach?
Answer: Some career coaches do not have any formal training but are experienced personnel in their industry. If you are interested to become a career coach, look for coaching academy that provide ICF approved coaching certificate, for example the Coach Transformation Academy. I went to the Academy of Solution Focused.