Why Hire a Career Coach?
When you look back at your life, there will be one daytime activity that you will have spent far more time doing than any other. Working.
You knew that but probably hadn’t looked at it quite that way. But when you do, it is all the more startling to think how many people put up with unfulfilling jobs, enduring months or even years of dissatisfaction or wasted opportunities.
Perhaps you are one of those people. And no doubt there are understandable – albeit frustrating – reasons why you aren’t exactly where you want to be. Many professionals appear outwardly successful but the inner happiness is missing. Maybe you are not even entirely sure what your elusive dream job is. Whether you are or not, a good career coach can help break down the barriers. As your career coach, my first aim would be to establish what the main issues are affecting you. Typical ones are:
• Feeling trapped in a role and/or organisation you don’t like – due to money worries (the risk of being with no income at all outweighs your desire to change jobs)
• Craving a work-life balance / or better pay or a more enjoyable role but believing it is unrealistic or unattainable right now
• Having clear objectives but not the self-belief or clarity to make them a reality
• Simply not knowing what a more satisfying job would look like or how to find out
• Something is holding you back – maybe several factors or just that you are so drained from your current job that you can’t find the time or energy
Clients of mine who have taken the sometimes daunting step of committing to improving their career have often described the result as “life-changing” and they are not exaggerating. The listless and demotivated feeling that stuck to them like a bad smell during and after work has been replaced with boundless energy and focus, which has rippled through to other aspects of their life, e.g. a resurrected social life.
I had a client called Beth who was content plodding along in her job. She described a typical day as “autopilot” and had a nagging feeling that she could be doing something so much more rewarding. Not only that but she deserved better. After a couple of career coaching sessions, she admitted the main factor holding her back was not knowing how to write an effective CV. She was aware of so many guides on the internet and in bookshops – many of which had conflicting ideas – but fundamentally, she wanted to speak to someone who had the expertise and patience to help her draw out her strengths, skills and achievements in a compelling way. I helped her do that and it proved to be the breakthrough she needed.
Another client, Simon, had spent the last six years switching from one career to another. For example, he had tried his hand at working at a travel agent and being a TEFL English teacher but none of his jobs had felt like the “right fit”. Now he was scared how employers would perceive his apparent inability to hold down a job. It didn’t happen overnight, but together we worked out exactly what type of career would match his personality and skill set. It turned out his true vocation was acting. He had successfully dabble at it at school right through to university and beyond in his spare time. But he had never considered it a viable career option. After a stint in drama college, he is now finding himself in high demand from casting agents.
“But how does career coaching actually function?” is a question that may be on the tip of your tongue. Put simply, I will aim to eliminate your uncertainty and work with you to pinpoint and reach the goals that, deep down, inspire you. I will listen to your frustrations and needs, and use proven exercises and techniques to help you cut through the barriers between you and fulfilment.
You knew that but probably hadn’t looked at it quite that way. But when you do, it is all the more startling to think how many people put up with unfulfilling jobs, enduring months or even years of dissatisfaction or wasted opportunities.
Perhaps you are one of those people. And no doubt there are understandable – albeit frustrating – reasons why you aren’t exactly where you want to be. Many professionals appear outwardly successful but the inner happiness is missing. Maybe you are not even entirely sure what your elusive dream job is. Whether you are or not, a good career coach can help break down the barriers. As your career coach, my first aim would be to establish what the main issues are affecting you. Typical ones are:
• Feeling trapped in a role and/or organisation you don’t like – due to money worries (the risk of being with no income at all outweighs your desire to change jobs)
• Craving a work-life balance / or better pay or a more enjoyable role but believing it is unrealistic or unattainable right now
• Having clear objectives but not the self-belief or clarity to make them a reality
• Simply not knowing what a more satisfying job would look like or how to find out
• Something is holding you back – maybe several factors or just that you are so drained from your current job that you can’t find the time or energy
Clients of mine who have taken the sometimes daunting step of committing to improving their career have often described the result as “life-changing” and they are not exaggerating. The listless and demotivated feeling that stuck to them like a bad smell during and after work has been replaced with boundless energy and focus, which has rippled through to other aspects of their life, e.g. a resurrected social life.
I had a client called Beth who was content plodding along in her job. She described a typical day as “autopilot” and had a nagging feeling that she could be doing something so much more rewarding. Not only that but she deserved better. After a couple of career coaching sessions, she admitted the main factor holding her back was not knowing how to write an effective CV. She was aware of so many guides on the internet and in bookshops – many of which had conflicting ideas – but fundamentally, she wanted to speak to someone who had the expertise and patience to help her draw out her strengths, skills and achievements in a compelling way. I helped her do that and it proved to be the breakthrough she needed.
Another client, Simon, had spent the last six years switching from one career to another. For example, he had tried his hand at working at a travel agent and being a TEFL English teacher but none of his jobs had felt like the “right fit”. Now he was scared how employers would perceive his apparent inability to hold down a job. It didn’t happen overnight, but together we worked out exactly what type of career would match his personality and skill set. It turned out his true vocation was acting. He had successfully dabble at it at school right through to university and beyond in his spare time. But he had never considered it a viable career option. After a stint in drama college, he is now finding himself in high demand from casting agents.
“But how does career coaching actually function?” is a question that may be on the tip of your tongue. Put simply, I will aim to eliminate your uncertainty and work with you to pinpoint and reach the goals that, deep down, inspire you. I will listen to your frustrations and needs, and use proven exercises and techniques to help you cut through the barriers between you and fulfilment.
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