While the concept of career coaching on the surface seems to define what happens in the career coaching relationship, the reality is that what happens varies by coach and then also by individual client.
Typically, coaches develop their own specific process for a career coaching engagement. Example processes include:
- Review resume and social media profiles; develop search strategies; practice interviewing
- Explore values and determine ideal type of work; develop resume; strategize networking
- Complete various inventories on skills and interests; strategize focus on types of jobs; begin looking; develop resume
- Training classes on various components of a career search; individual coaching for implementation
- Exploration of career history; consideration of current opportunities; consideration of possibilities for creating desired position
Some of these processes include training and/or consulting in addition to coaching. While completely different, each approach has validity. One important consideration is to ensure transparency with the blend of roles. This means discussing with the client when it is training, consulting, or coaching.
The career coaching process may be based on areas of expertise for the coach or alternatively it may be adjusted or created based on what is appropriate for the client. As a coach, share your areas of expertise and discuss options for the process. As a client, select a coach that you connect with and that offers the expertise you seek.
