Have you ever wondered what a career coach does or how they help people? You aren't alone! Most people have no idea how a career coach can help them or even what career coaches get asked on a regular basis. Let me take away some of the mystery!
What do career coaches do?
Career coaches each have their own unique areas of expertise. These can include hiring, retention, training, negotiations, interviewing, marketing, creating vision, and executing plans of action. Every career coach has their own background and area of focus based on their education and past experience. My focus areas are job seekers, professional development, and small business growth.
What are 3 questions I get asked as a career coach?
1. How often should I be updating my resume?
Every 6 months. Yes, even if you aren't planning to change jobs.
Humans are terrible at remembering the small details of our lives, especially when it comes to every day tasks. Our brains lump these small details into groups that over time are forgotten as our attention is needed in more urgent areas of our lives. What does this mean for your career? As time goes on you will forget how your job scope has changed, how the project you spent months on worked out, and all of the learning you had to do to make your career what it is today. Update your resume every 6 months so you can keep an accurate log of your accomplishments. This regular update will make it easier if you ever decide to change jobs, but it's also a great resource when negotiating a pay raise or interviewing for a promotion.
2. Do you only work with people looking to change jobs?
Not at all!
A large part of my business is focused on creating development plans and helping individuals process their career journeys. Some of my clients love their employers, but want to make sure they stay challenged as their career progresses. We create goals and plans to keep them engaged, learning new skills, and ready for growth. I also have clients who are new to management and need help growing their confidence and skills as a manager. No matter where you are in your career journey, I encourage you to take charge of your growth and development.
3. What can I do to ensure success as a small business?
Consistency.
That's it! That is the secret to success. Your clients should receive the same level of service every time they interact with you. They should be able to tell their friends and family what to expect when they work with you and your delivery of services should meet that expectation. Consistency builds trust and trust is the backbone of any successful business.
Now here is the thing, consistency does not mean showing up for everything. Time is a limited resource. Consistently show up for your business in a way that makes sense to you. It's more important that you show up in your marketing efforts once a week consistently for a year rather than once an hour for a week and then never again for 3 months. Consistency is how you grow and sustain a successful business.
What questions do you have for a career coach? Let me know!