When we’re stuck wondering what to do next, we tend to ask friends and family, or go to a forum or webinar. In such cases, we’re overlooking an important avenue of advice – one-on-one discussions with professional career or educational coaches.
Career coaches are trained to provide advice that’s tailored to your career track and where you want to be. During the one-on-one session, they’ll ask you about your life, your dreams and wishes, and of course your qualifications, and provide personalised recommendations based on those. They will then be able to inform you about your unique traits – how do you stand out from your peers, what individualised skills do you have, and what needs polishing? It goes without saying that this advice is hence applicable to you and you alone.
Hence, even if you’re forced to face uncomfortable truths about yourself (like how much salary you really want), we advise you to speak to the coach honestly. Only by speaking truthfully about yourself, can you get good advice about your own future. Remember that the coach is not there to judge you and has no personal agenda – he or she is looking for the best for you, not themselves.
Personalised, tailored coaching is one of the best reasons to sign up for a one-on-one coaching session. Away from the multitudes of voices and opinions about what you should be doing with your life, you can speak to the coach with clarity and honesty – and get some honest and clear recommendations in return.
Another key benefit for a one-on-one session is how career coaches draw on a wide breadth of relevant experience when giving advice. They often have extensive networks in the field, and can give very specific pointers about characteristics of your particular sector, how to switch industry or positions, and what you should be prepared to do in your career. This means you can trust their advice because they’re not just shooting in the dark (as your friends and family might be!), but drawing on established experiences for robust conclusions.
Let’s not overlook another benefit of experience. Coaches are trained to look at your career track in the long-term, beyond a short course or job switch and focusing on your work life as a whole. They can offer advice on how to achieve work-life balance with considerations like housing loans, dependents, and perhaps that small business you want to start on the side. A coach will help you chart out where you want to go and how you want to get there in the next five or ten years, giving you a clear roadmap to follow.
Lastly, a coaching session builds confidence! As stated before, a career coach will help you understand how you stand out – and that’s always good to know! You will come out of the session with renewed faith in your abilities and drive to take on the world. And since they will also tell you about your weaknesses, you will know what to tackle next when asking for advice or help.
If you’re wondering about what step to take next, wonder no more and work it out with an career ¬†coach!
Photo from canva