FAQ’s about hiring a Coach

As an active Board member of ICF NJ I am often approached by people who want to hire a coach who will  help them achieve their goals or they are thinking of becoming a coach.   They are unclear regarding the differences between coaching, consulting and therapy.  They want to understand the potential outcomes of working with a coach and what they should think about before they hire their own coach.

I have collected the following questions throughout my past 9+ years as a career coach and I hope that they will answer many of the questions you  may have about coaching.                       

What is coaching?

Coaching is an interactive process that helps individuals develop more rapidly and attain more satisfying results. Coaching enables people to set better goals, take more action, make better decisions and more fully leverage their natural strengths. Coaching helps people figure out what they want and how to achieve their dreams.

Coaching is a professional partnership between a qualified coach and an individual that supports the achievement of extraordinary results based on goals set by the individual. Through the coaching process, individuals focus on the skills and actions needed to successfully produce results.

How does coaching work?

Your coach works with you via telephone or in person to skillfully support you in clarifying specific goals and implementing actions that lead to dramatic results. Coaching is not a spectator sport. Productive coaching happens when one person desperately wants to move forward. Your coach will consistently strive to help you achieve your dreams step by step.

Most coaching is conducted weekly over the telephone. It is the standard practice for the coaching industry. Most clients prefer the comfort and convenience of being in their own home or office. Tele-coaching gives you the opportunity to be coached by the best coach for you, without geographical constrictions. In-person coaching can occur upon request.

Ark Career Coaching works with you to determine and achieve your unique goals. We uncover and help you build upon your strengths. We work with you to design systems that help you succeed.

Does coaching work?

YES, coaching works! Just ask anyone who has tried it or read coaching testimonials. Coaching is most successful when the person being coach truly wants to move, to learn and to grow. Coaching will work for you when you dedicate yourself to spending time and energy to achieve your goals.

Coaching isn’t something that happens to you – it happens through you. To be successful, it is essential that you work with your coach as an active participant.

The coach must be a good match for you and your goals. It is up to you to select the best coach for you and to commit yourself to the coaching process.

When should I hire a coach?

You should hire a coach when you:

• want to move forward and take the next step on your path to success.
• have a strong desire to choose and direct your own career rather than have life choose it for you.
• know that something is blocking your peak performance, and but can’t seem to overcome it.
• feel overwhelmed by how much there is to do and you aren’t sure how to manage your time most effectively
• are ready to do something that incorporates your interests and expertise.
• have issues that are preventing you from focusing on your career growth and you’re ready to deal with them.
• want to fully leverage your strengths.
• want to establish goals, as well as develop and execute action plans to achieve them.
• have certain skills or behaviors that you would like to develop.
• are ready to move into the next phase of your career and need some support and encouragement to motivate you.
  
  

 

How can I get the most out of the coaching experience?

• By having a strong desire to work hard and receive feedback that will produce change.
• By demonstrating a willingness to explore, challenge and change things that are not working for you.
• By maintaining an open mind as you try new concepts or different ways of doing things.
• By making a commitment to the coaching process.

What can I expect during the coaching process?

When you become engaged in the coaching process you can expect your coach to listen, make observations, ask questions and introduce concepts to assist in generating possibilities and identifying opportunities for action. While your coach will provide feedback and an objective perspective, you will be responsible for taking the steps to produce results.

Coaching accelerates progress by providing a greater focus and awareness of possibilities, leading to more effective choices. By engaging in a coaching relationship, you can expect to experience fresh perspectives on challenges and opportunities, to enhance your thinking and decision making skills, to improve your interpersonal effectiveness, to have increased confidence and a strong knowledge of your strengths and how to leverage them to achieve success.

What exactly is a career coach?

A career coach is someone who:

• Motivates you.
• Provides unconditional support.
• Identifies your strengths and helps you build upon them.
• Shines a light on what is holding you back.
• Helps you move forward to achieve your goals.

Your career coach will help you figure out what you really want in a career or educational experience, what skills and talents you possess and then your coach will give you the tools, resources and support to help you achieve success.

A coach is not a therapist who digs into your past. A coach is not a consultant who will tell you what to do. A coach is someone who partners with you, motivates you and supports you in your efforts to grow, move forward and achieve your dreams.

Career coaches are trained to listen and observe, customize their approach to the individual client’s needs and to elicit solutions and strategies from the client. Coaches believe that the client is naturally creative and resourceful.

The coach asks the right questions at the right time. A great career coach helps uncover possibilities that had never been considered or understood before. Tools, assessments and articles are introduced to help enhance the coaching process.

What will the coaching process do for me?

Coaching will help you:

• Set goals and align them with your unique values
• Identify what you like and dislike about your current situation and help you overcome your obstacles.
• Learn to take control of your future and make choices by identifying options that will enable you to achieve your goals.
• Find new and exciting ways to manage your future.
• Uncover ways to create desired change with minimal challenge.
• Tackle techniques that will help you move beyond your self-limiting beliefs.
• Understand your strengths and areas for development so that you can capitalize on your talents.
• Learn strategies to identify and secure desired opportunities.
• Stay on track as you take progressive actions to achieve your goals.

What should I consider when selecting a coach?

Three critical questions to ask before hiring a career coach:

1. Do you customize your coaching with tools that will specifically work for me?
2. Do you keep your finger on the pulse of the Human Resources community so that you know the latest training, development, recruitment trends?
3. Have you been specifically trained as a career coach beyond recruitment and job search strategies?  Are you trained in behavioral change and leadership development too?