How a career coach can help you in your career change

By Melanie Castles

What is a career coach?

A career coach is a life coach who has chosen to specialise in helping people to have what they want in their working life.

What a career coach is not

A coach is not a counsellor or therapist. Coaching is not based on analysis of your past or navel gazing. It concentrates on the present and how to move your life forward in the direction you want! Coaches are usually non-directive but facilitate progress through exploring alternatives and supporting their client through making the change - the client is the one in control and the one who creates the change.

Why use a career coach?

There are numerous reasons why you might choose to enlist the services of a career coach depending on where you are in the career change process.

If you do not have a ready made support network around you or you need to look at your career change more objectively or from different perspectives a career coach may be just what you need.

A career coach will also be able to work with you to:

  • identify your motivations
  • recognise your preferred ways of working
  • weigh up the importance of different factors in your preferred career (e.g. salary, benefits, working hours, working environment, advancement, job content etc.)
  • identify sources of information about your chosen career
  • set goals (interim and end)
  • keep you motivated to maintain your planned progress.

This is not an exhaustive list but gives you an idea of some of the benefits.

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By ree123 on 12 March 2008 at 21:10

Hi
Looking for advice. I am 31yrs, stuck in a dead end job, used to work with horses up until 5yrs ago but doesn't pay the bills! I have common sense but just stuck in what to train/learn.
I have a very big interest in Law. Not done anything like this previously and aware i'm not going to be a big Solicitor. I have contacted a few 'Home study' companies and obviously they want me to enroll as they want my money but I have no idea where to start or if 'Home study' in this field is the way to go.
Can anyone out there please please offer any advice I would really appreiciate it.
Thanks Ree


By Selina Barker on 13 March 2008 at 12:47

Hi Ree,
If law is something you're really interested in then that's a great place to start. Finding a career that really suits you is about identifying your strengths and skills and putting them to play in an environment that really interests and excites you.

So your big interest is law but you don't see yourself as a solicitor.

What I would suggest is that you take a wider look at the world of law and ALL the jobs that are involved. You could be involved in law in so many different ways and not just as a lawyer - you could be a secretary in a law firm, work in the marketing department or the admin department etc.

If it IS law that you want to study then I would suggest speaking to some lawyers to find out what the reality of the job is like and what's the best way in.

All the best with your career change - let us know how it goes.

Selina (Content Director - Careershifters)


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