The power of career coaching

by | Nov 7, 2024 | Coaching Articles

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How a Career Coach Can Unlock Your Potential

The state of the job market is challenging for both job seekers and those who have jobs but are still far from performing in their role. Fortunately, amidst this turmoil, there are individuals who can pave the way for those looking for jobs that utilizes their strengths. These individuals are career coaches.

According to the latest statistics, the U.S. has around 11.8 million unemployed people, based on figures that are not entirely accurate and do not account for those engaged in unfulfilling jobs from which they are seeking to escape.

Here, we have a conversation with Donna Swidan, a professional coach with over 15 years of experience in this field, to better understand the art and science behind career coaching and how a career coach can prepare you for such a tumultuous market with millions of competitors. Here is an extract of the responses to some of the questions:

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What is Career Coaching Really?

Our approach consists of two independent yet similar areas: coaching and consulting. The goal is to support individuals in making informed decisions about their professional development, alongside tools such as resume writing, cover letters, and creating LinkedIn profiles to achieve their desired goals.

The definition of career coaching may differ from one coach to another. Generally, I find the most common definition is that it is a solution-focused approach that involves working with clients to take concrete steps toward achieving their career goals, while consulting is a process-oriented approach that examines behavioral, emotional, or psychological issues that may overshadow someone’s career aspirations.

However, the main virtue of career coaching is that it helps individuals assess their professional situations with a higher degree of honesty, curiosity, empathy, and compassion.

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What is the Most Common Misconception About Career Coaching?

One of the most common misconceptions I encounter is that having a good resume is all individuals need and that a career coach can find the ideal job for them. There’s also a prevalent belief that simply attending one career coaching session will resolve all job-related challenges. In reality, an individual may need 8 to 10 hours of coaching to truly internalize the benefits of coaching.

What can an average person gain from working with a career coach?

Clients can typically expect to gain confidence, perspective, support, and inspiration during sessions. They also feel that the coaching relationship provides them with a sense of comfort. We know that job searching can evoke a certain amount of anxiety, fear, and feelings of helplessness in individuals, so I often work with clients to help them release these feelings so they can understand how these factors can act as barriers in their careers.
Recently, one of my clients struggled to break the mental pattern of submitting resumes to online job portals, even though the chances of getting results were low. After some exploration, she revealed that both her parents had rigid and inflexible personalities that always prevented her from expressing herself and made her hesitant to ask for help for fear of being rejected. I had to encourage her to build her confidence to engage in networking.
Additionally, there are various assessments that career coaches can use to assist their clients, including personality assessments, ways to identify interests, and recognizing what individuals take pride in and what jobs and environments might be best suited for them.

I also use another method that I call the “360-degree” approach. In this method, I gather constructive feedback from all friends and family and ask the client to send a list of questions to colleagues and trusted individuals, who then send their responses directly to me. This way, I can prepare a report for my client.

What can an average person gain from working with a career coach?

While I personally believe that career coaching can be beneficial at any point in a professional journey, I would say that the best time is at the beginning of one’s career after completing college. This allows individuals to take their next steps more confidently with a mindset that helps them understand and navigate their career path more smoothly.

What can an average person gain from working with a career coach?

I frequently hear phrases like, “I’m frustrated with my job, but I don’t know what else I can do.” However, what surprises me most is the question of not knowing what to do with the skills they possess and needing clarity on what exactly they want to do and how to get there.

Job-related anxiety is also something I constantly encounter. Recently, my clients have expressed discomfort with using social media platforms like LinkedIn.

Nothing compares to the feeling when your client gradually regains hope regarding their situation after experiencing feelings of despair and confusion.

What brings you the most satisfaction as a coach?

Nothing compares to the feeling when your client gradually regains hope regarding their situation after experiencing feelings of despair and confusion. I’ve had clients who transformed from feeling completely disinterested in their jobs to becoming motivated individuals with fresh perspectives on their work. have higher levels of psychological vitality.

If you could share one golden rule about job satisfaction, what would it be?

If you’re doing something you truly enjoy, you won’t even think about job satisfaction. The best scenario is when there is alignment between your work, values and your talents. Only in this case does job satisfaction become possible for you. If you are seeking job satisfaction, you need to choose work that aligns with your values and talents. If you currently feel satisfied with your job, rest assured that your work aligns with your values and you are utilizing your dominant talents.
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Taymour Miri is an ICF master coach and a Gallup certified strengths coach and more recently one of the first 136 coaches world wide to be awarded an Advanced Certificate in Team Coaching. He has 30 years’ experience in leadership roles and 20 years of experince in coaching. Taymour has trained over 1,500 coaches across five continents and is the founder of International Coaching Education (ICE).