How to Choose the Right Career and Life Coach for You
Due to the huge rate at which coaching is growing, there is also a high demand for these professionals. Many people have come to realise the importance of getting coached in life. If you are among these people, and you do not know how to go about finding the right coach, here are some guidelines to help you.The first step towards finding the right life coach for you is to discover exactly what you want from them. For example, you need to be aware of the type of coach that you want.
There are those whose main focus is on general life, and others who specialize in career coaching, work and personal life balance, business growth, health and wellness, among others. Ensure that the person you choose is experienced enough to match the area of your life that needs their help. When searching for a career and life coach, you can do it via online or locally. Talk to the successful people around you, your associates, friends, and colleagues to see if you can get some referrals. You do not have to insist on finding a coach within your area since most of the coaching is done through video or phone call. You can get all the information you want or your questions answered through their websites.
However, since this is still a fast growing line of work, there are many challenges that are involved. One of them is that there are many people hiding behind this career even though they do not have any relevant experience or formal training. For this reason, you need to check the credentials of a particular life coach before hiring them. Every career and life coach requires to have undergone the necessary training and certification. Besides having the right credentials, your potential life mentor should also have relevant experience in the field of coaching. However, your coach does not need to have undergone the same experience as you are in now, in order to be effective at coaching. You only need to find out if they have been able to successfully help other people achieve their goals in the area you also need help.
Another important thing that you need to check from your potential career and life coach is their commitment. Start by finding out how long they have been into this profession and if it is their full time career. Unfortunately, there are some people who claim to be coaches but they are trainers, consultants, speakers, or therapists. Others are part time coaches which they only practice after finishing their other daily jobs. Although they could be competent, coaching requires a lot of practice for someone to really have the right skills.
After making a list of coaches that you think you can hire, ask for consultation with them. Most of them offers a sample session, or a complimentary coaching consultation. This is one way that can help you understand what you’re likely to achieve through coaching. It is also through this consultation that you can be able to identify if the personality of a particular coach is right for. This is very important because it can affect your ability to achieve what you want in life. During these interviews, make sure that you also find out how various coaches charge for the services offered.