Finding the right career partner
What makes a good career planning and transition coach?
First, it’s about how their background meets your needs.
Second, it’s about where you are. Do you need a therapist or a coach? Do you need someone to encourage you, generally, or do you need a detailed approach to a specific goal?
There’s no wrong answer. It’s all about where you are right now.
As an executive résumé writer and former retained executive search recruiter, I conduct career coaching less from a “what color is your parachute” perspective and more from “how can I realistically shape the next steps in my career?”
So the answer to “what makes a good career coach” is perhaps better asked this way: “What do I need at this moment in my career?”
Are you looking for an amorphous approach that bends to your will? Or a realistic, step-by-step process that flexes when necessary, but keeps you focused and out of a dream state?
My work as a career transition coach has evolved over the years. In fac, it was my private clients who kept mentioning that our work together was like career coaching but with a tangible outcome.
That approach is now central to how I see my work.
Even with a plan, however, introspection takes time. And yes, that even goes for people who are already successful in their own right. Nobody is crying my clients a river. They serve on high-profile boards. They manage multimillion-dollar global businesses. They’ve perhaps sold companies for millions (and in two cases, more than a billion).
They’ve been recognized for astonishing successes, but they still need a guide to help them aim toward what their futures might hold.
There are a lot of great career coaches in the world
I find that it’s nice to know what a professional does and doesn’t do. To that end, here is a rundown of my expertise.
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Career change and transition exploration
Career planning and/or accountability
Reality checking for potential career pathways
Professional self-assessment (Who am I, realistically? Where are my technical gaps?)
Corporate and interpersonal communications
Building a boutique practice
Presentation development
Public speaking
Writing and editing
Second-act and post-retirement careers
Business messaging and corporate communications
Becoming a thought leader
Developing a personal brand
Reputation management
Mid-career course correction
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Salary negotiation
Matters of the heart
Executive presence
Finding your passion
Image consulting