What a Career Coach Can or Can't Do for You

I want to start with what I think good career coaches do for people who are
looking for new jobs, facing downsizing, ready to retire, but want to work longer,
etc. Any category of job seeker is who we want to work with. I'll start
with my own definition..

1. Coaches can become friends with you. Friends of a kind that you can tell
your secrets to and not fear recrimination or judgement about you and your
decisions.

2. Coaches have resources for you. All kinds of resources to give you or ask you
to find for yourself. They are: videos, books, websites, people, you name it.
These resources are meant to awaken your desire to find the information that only
you need to make a career decision.

4. Coaches guide you towards the decisions you want to make. Most
job seekers know what they want, but need confirmation of what they
really want to do, regardless of how zany the choices may be. The career
coach helps the job hunter make firm decisions.

5. The career coach is also a cheerleader. A cheerleader who wants the job seeker
to win, and win at the job or career decision

What a Career Coach Cannot Do: The coach is not a therapist and cannot
solve deep personal problems. However, the coaching experience may be
therapeutic with the job seeker becoming more authentic in the coaching
process, simply by having a person who is interested in their welfare.

A career coach is not someone who can solve your financial problems either.
Talking about what you need to do as a joint venture about how money
affects you is a possibility in the coaching process, but not how to spend
or budget money. That's the kind of advice a financial advisor is better
suited to handle.

Lastly, a good career coach is a person who can celebrate with you when you
have successes. The coach will be there when you need more information,
resources, or just a pat on the back. Go find one when you need career
help.