I have spent the past few years helping women be the best version of themselves. I share the occasional success story but to be honest I could share one daily. The result of effective career coaching is a new job, promotion or increase in confidence. This recognizable success and the part that I played in it keeps me going in my most challenging of days. Most of these clients have come into contact with me knowing that they need some help. But I’ve often thought about those that have no idea what a career coach actually does? Are they missing out because they don’t know what help a career coach can give them? Are they getting confused with ‘life coaching’ or counselling?
I’d love to say that if you sit down for coaching sessions with me that I will tell you exactly how to succeed in your career. But that won’t happen. A career coach will guide you to make the changes you need to gain success, but we won’t hold your hand. The onus is on you to take action. The following shows what a career coach can do for you, and this is just the tip of the iceberg:
R – Realign your working life and personal priorities
Its not just about your career. Working a 45 hour week and having no time to spend with your family is counter-productive for many. A career coach can help you prioritise what is important to you? Learning to say no to projects that go against your values, beliefs and your personal brand is a cornerstone of what I help clients to do.
I – Identify your career progression within your organisation
We don’t often get the time to take a step back and evaluate where we are in our careers. Coaching allows the time and space for the difficult questions to be asked and answered. Planning a defined route to where you want to go or deciding that change is often life changing.
S – Strengthen your confidence
Sometimes the hits we have taken to our confidence can build up into a wall that prevents us from taking action. Addressing why lack of self belief is there and taking corrective action to ensure that its minimised is the only way to remove it as a barrier. Not all of my clients lack confidence, but those that do are limiting their options as they are, in some cases, crippled by fear. Understanding what this fear is and learning to combat it is a key to coaching success.
E – Explore your career options
Even the simple act of speaking to someone outside your organisation can help you think outside the box as far as your career goes. Evaluating where you are placed within your current organisation and examining where your true passions lie, can enlighten us and give new clarity. I have coached women who have went on to start their own business away from the sector they were working in, and I have also worked with women who have made the determined step up to director level. The one thing they have in common is that they analysed their current status and made a decision to make a change.
S – Share the burden
One of my main roles as a career coach is to listen. Sometimes my clients are struck by how they have never really had much of a chance to talk about themselves and their career exclusively before. Career coaching is about making you accountable. So I will listen, empathise and then get you to commit to change. I will hold you to account for what you plan to do. I coach clients to find the solutions themselves which is an empowering act in itself.
H – Heighten your focus
Its all about focus. A career coach will help you determine what your desired outcome is. Using visualisation and effective questioning techniques my clients move from not knowing what they want to do to being focused on what their number one ambition is. Having that focus in the first place means you are more likely to get where you want to go
I – Instigate Change
Change can be frightening. Pushing you to do things that you normally wouldn’t do is part of the process. Many of my clients were petrified of public speaking and networking but have taken the deep breath required to raise their head above the parapet. All have benefited from doing so, and I have helped them develop the skills to excel.
N – New Road-map for success
Having an end goal is one thing. A step by step process on how to get there is also required. Some of this will be a change in your habits and some will be definitive action to take. Working on both will deliver success. A crucial part is also learning to enjoy the journey.
E – Energise
Clients find themselves with a new sense of purpose. Talking about yourself and what your goals are can be an invigorating experience. Most clients get a second wind of enthusiasm for their current role or a determination to get a new position. This can (and normally does) spill into other areas of life too, such as family, friends and fitness.
If you would like to hear more of what career coaching can offer check out these videos from my clients.
Get in touch and set up a discovery call to explore how I can help you be the best version of you.
If you are looking to go for a promotion or a new role check out Generation Womens Rise and Shine at Interview programme which is now online.
