To become an effective career coach, you must understand and apply the career coaching basics to your coaching relationships. 

The fundamental role of every successful career coach is to help others achieve their professional objectives through effective strategizing, the proper skills, and practical techniques.

About Career Coaching and The Career Coach

ICF defines coaching in general as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. Career Coaching helps people identify or recognize the tools and resources needed to accomplish their career/professional goals. Noomi.com, the internet’s largest directory of life coaches and business coaches describes career coaching this way “Career coaching is a type of personal coaching that helps people find greater fulfillment in their careers by establishing professional goals, creating a plan and overcoming obstacles that may be in the way.” 

The Role of a Career Coach

Career coaches are professionals with expertise in professional development. Many of these coaches come from a human resources, talent recruiting, or marketing background. These individuals assist others with finding the ideal job, right career, resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, and follow-up after an interview. They also offer motivation and guidance; in addition, career coaches advice on negotiating salary packages, transitioning to another industry/sector, etc. For example, if you are looking to transition from military work-life to the civilian job market, a career coach can help you successfully transition.

Six Career Coaching Basics – What Every Coach Needs to Have 

Whether you are new to career coaching or a veteran coach, understanding career coaching basics and possessing the appropriate skills is essential to becoming effective and enjoying a successful coaching career. 

1. Rapport: The coach must be able to build and maintain suitable professional and respectful relationships with clients.  

2. Effective Communication:  Great communication skills are critical in your coaching career. Your clients must comprehend your verbal and written communication for the coaching relationship to be productive. 

3. Empathy/Compassion: Coach should be empathetic to the plight of their client. You may have clients who are in a “not so good” place financially and need a job immediately, or who are scared to launch out into the job market after years of unemployment or being a  stay-at-home parent. There are going to be different types of scenarios. As a career coach, you must show genuine concern and understanding of their situation. 

4. Problem Solving: A career coach is a problem-solver who listens carefully to the client’s job or career concerns and issues. 

5. Clear Goals & Expected Results: There must be precise, desired objectives expected from the coaching relationship. These objectives should be documented in a coaching plan outlining expected deadlines for accomplishing each goal. 

6. Accountability: As a career coach, your role is to hold your clients accountable. Monitor their actions until they attain their goals. Also, it helps to remind them when necessary, of the importance of following through on the goals that have been set. 

Career coaching is a great coaching niche to be in, and if you are determined to succeed in this profession, you must understand and embrace these career coaching basics.

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Margaret K. Olubiyi
Life Coach
Writer, Coaches Training Blog community