Cara is President of the International Association of Career Coaches (IACC)® and CEO of Ready Reset Go®.
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Sometimes people ask me if I’m a life coach. My answer is generally “Not at all,” followed quickly by “Well, in some ways,” followed by “Yeah, no, what I do is really different.”
I understand the confusion, as there are people who identify as life coaches, abundance coaches, dating coaches, menopause coaches—basically, show me something people want or find intimidating, and I’ll show you a coaching industry around it.
Life Coaches Are Generalists
A life coach is sort of like a psychotherapist who isn’t focused on your past—and that can be a great person to have in your corner. Unlike a therapist, who encourages a lot of deep self-reflection and coming to terms with how you got where you are, a life coach is tactical, focused on the present and more interested in problem-solving than what I call “navel-gazing.” They’re both legitimate, and anyone might benefit from either or both, but a life coach is focused on ways you can alter your thinking to get what you want.
At that level, career coaches and life coaches are similar. We both help people at a tactical level, and more often than not, that involves asking people to confront psychological blockages. If we’re doing our job, you will feel more empowered, confident and happy with where you are after working with us. But we’re not therapists.
Career Coaches Are Specialists
People hire life coaches for all kinds of reasons—perhaps they’re seeking help with navigating a difficult relationship, staying organized or attaining a better work-life balance.
Career coaches don’t tend to get into your personal life all that much. Of course, when I’m working with clients, I learn things about their personal lives. And sometimes, personal life challenges are very relevant to our work. But my job is to help you find, keep and excel in a career you love.
As with other kinds of coaching, there is often mindset checking involved. But when you’re working with a career coach, you’re doing a combination of discernment (“what’s my ideal role?”) and tactical steps to get you into that role (everything from optimizing your online presence to nailing an interview to negotiating your salary).
What To Expect From A Career Coach
In every industry and sector, there are people who are great at what they do and people who aren’t. And coaches are no exception—some of us are savvier, more insightful, more experienced and more skilled than others. And no matter how good a coach is, no one is the perfect coach for everyone (there’s chemistry involved). However, if you’re on the hunt for a career coach, here are some things you should be able to get out of working with them:
• Discernment work. Even if you think you know exactly where you want to go in your career, it’s worth talking it out with your coach; you’d be amazed at some of the revelations people have in this process. The coach should be able to hear you, understand your objectives and make relevant suggestions. If you’re searching for a new path, your coach should be able to help you determine the ideal use of your skills, talents, education and personality. If you’re trying to get promoted, your coach should have solid ideas for how to get there.
• Managing your professional presence. When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn profile, your résumé or your CV or did a serious audit of your online presence? A good career coach can help you ensure you look right for the role you want and identify ways you might be unwittingly hindering your efforts. When companies do a Google search on you (and they will), it’s important to be clear about what they’re going to see.
• Creating collateral. If your career coach can’t help you create résumés, cover letters and other assets that present you as your best, most competent self, keep looking.
• Jedi-level interview skills. So many candidates look great on paper and would be a good fit for a role but choke during the interview. Your career coach should have enough understanding of your target role (and your personality) to help you prepare for interviews and get through them without needing extra-strength antiperspirant.
• Salary and benefits negotiation. Many job candidates (especially, but definitely not only, women candidates) have a deep-seated fear of asking for what they really want. Your job offer is just that—an offer. A starting point. There are ways to advocate for yourself without coming across as difficult. Your career coach should know what the norms are in your sector and be able to help you understand how to optimize your compensation.
Career Coaches Have A Specific, Focused Objective
As a career coach, my mission is to help you discover your ideal work, find it, get hired and thrive in your job. That journey is slightly different for everyone, so part of my job is to be flexible, observant, aware of the macro job-search environment and insightful enough to help see what might be holding you back. While I have an approach that works, it is not one-size-fits-all. Great career coaches are lifelong learners with the mental flexibility and pure curiosity to figure out the best way to support a given client.
So, I’m not a life coach. I’m not here to weigh in on interpersonal dilemmas (unless, for example, you’re having one with your boss). I’m not going to prescribe herbal supplements or do an overhaul of your wardrobe. What we do is different, though there are parallels. Your career coach teaches you to identify what you really need and want in a job, helps you strategize how to get noticed and guides you through career transitions so that you feel good about who you are and where you are in your professional life.
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
