Recognizing that you need a career coach may not be easy; however, there are five key ways to tell if hiring a career coach is suitable.
Lack of Clarity
Picture this. It’s Sunday, better known to most as Shmonday. You can't even enjoy the last day of your weekend because all you know is that you don't want to go there tomorrow. You don't want to go back to that place and do that thing. You’re not fulfilled, and you are under-appreciated. As clear as your dread is for the upcoming week, what escapes you is what you would rather do instead. Sure, this wouldn’t be an issue if you were independently wealthy, but since that’s not the reality, this may be a great reason to engage a career coach. A career coach can help you understand why you are not ok with your current work situation and help you identify strengths that can help inform your next move.
Build a Bridge
In this scenario, you know what you want to do next, but you've been doing a specific type of work for so long that you feel unable to navigate the waters between here and there or, said another way, you don’t know how to bridge the gap between who you are and who you want to be. This is a great time to engage with somebody who has seen it happen before and can give you instructions on how to transition from one role to another.
No Call Backs
“You have been putting in the work and looking for a role for a substantial amount of time, filling out application after application, going about all the steps, and nobody is calling you back. You’re confused because you hear on the news that America’s hiring - but she’s not calling you. Here’s why. How you are going about your job search is likely incorrect. The steps you are taking may need a ‘review and refresh’ that only a career coach can help you with.
They are not advancing to the second round.
The good news is that if you have been getting callbacks, your resume, LinkedIn, etc., are working as they should. Recruiters/ Managers like what they see, and they invite you to interview. However, after the first interview, you are not hearing back, and the process is over just as quickly as it began. If that only happens a couple of times, maybe it’s nothing to worry about. However, if this is happening more times than not, you need a career coach to help you with your interview prep so that you can stand out.
Accountability
It would help if you had someone to hold you accountable. Often, we say we want to make changes in our lives, but that declaration of change ends up being little more than lip service. It doesn’t have to be that way because the right goals can be achieved if you put in the necessary work and have the proper milestones to measure your results. A career coach can be a trusted partner on this journey that turns your potential into reality.