Dr. April Willis, Principal Business Consultant & Coach at April Willis Consulting, LLC.
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ESG, CSR, AI, DEI and so many more—we’re living in a world of acronyms, many of which did not exist just a few years ago. There are incredible opportunities being built right in front of us; how are you adjusting? There are two camps:
1. People who are averse to change
2. People who embrace the change
Where do you fall?
I know, change can be scary. Just like the first time we ever “pushed a button” to start a car instead of using a key, we now have opportunities in front of us that are forcing us to reevaluate how we’ve always done things. Job coaching looks and sounds significantly different than the advice most of us probably received growing up. How do we prepare clients for jobs they didn’t know existed? What is the path for a role that was developed for the first time ever in the past few months?
As a career coach, I have several clients who are thrilled to try something new but don’t know where to start. I’ve had to immerse myself in sectors that I’m less familiar with and career paths that are taking twists and turns we couldn’t have imagined. As a result, my coaching is continuing to evolve to more than just traditional approaches. Let’s explore a few strategies career coaches can implement to stay in front of this ever-changing employment landscape.
Identify transferrable skills.
The good news about the competitiveness of a job title that has never existed before is that nobody previously held that title, so there isn’t necessarily a home-field advantage. Instead, it becomes a priority to call out transferrable skills. While clients may not have direct experience in that role, they may have held responsibilities or completed projects aligned with the expectations of the new role. Encourage clients to own their accomplishments in previous roles and spell out how these experiences are highly transferrable. For example, leadership is leadership—the field or industry might be different, but monitoring performance, managing people and tracking budgets are valuable skill sets in most roles.
Chart new pathways based on lived experiences.
Not all experience comes in the form of a paycheck. There are opportunities being built around lived experiences that honor people’s place in this world. Being able to connect, communicate and tell your story can be more valuable than tenure at a corporate job. Help clients recognize their value, their passions and their purpose. Embrace hardships and the lessons that came with them. Celebrate societal progress and the new doors that are opening as a result of forward movement.
Encourage clients to become their biggest advocates. Too often people stand in their own way with imposter syndrome, fear of the unknown and pressure to only occupy certain professional spaces. Be the coach that empowers them to break barriers and conquer obstacles. Equip clients to own their unique experiences and to apply them to professional endeavors by telling a story that could only come from their one-of-a-kind life.
Leverage education.
While their formal titles may not perfectly mirror the titles they want, they can stand out from the crowd with degrees, certifications and licenses. Put those letters after their name and maintain a running list of continuing education that aligns with the new field they are pursuing. I encourage clients to pursue free online courses and certifications by browsing university offerings of massive open online courses (MOOCs) that are free and affiliated with top-tier colleges. Also, keep a running record of professional development workshops, seminars and online modules—learning is learning, despite the delivery method. Having keywords in their résumé that are in conjunction with the keywords of the job posting they are applying for can absolutely help take their résumé to the next level.
Create a credibility action plan.
This is my secret ingredient to a successful transition. I help clients map a journey in which they become the experts in their field—the authority in this new area that never before existed. We discuss a credibility action plan involving publications, presentations and posting on social media. We create a course in which people will recognize them as a dominant force and the go-to subject matter expert in this new arena. We leverage their strengths and play to their assets.
Empowering clients to take their careers to the next level is incredibly rewarding. As a career coach, I want nothing more than to see clients succeed. Creatively tackling a quickly evolving professional landscape can be exactly what job-seekers need to elevate their professional journey.
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
