How a Career Coach Can Help in Today’s Economy
As the rise of executive level layoffs continues, and many mid-level career individuals are finding themselves unemployed, many are considering accepting positions lower than there aptitude level or even positions in different industries than their previous career experience. Unemployment for individuals who have already invested 30 years of experience into one career are left devastated if their previous industry experience is no longer needed in today’s current economic market. So what is a mid-50’s unemployed professional to do when their past experience is no longer relevant?
Investing in a career coach may be the most beneficial use of your time and money in today’s depleting job market due to the vast candidate pool and constant industry growth and change. But what can a career coach offer that you couldn’t get by yourself? Career coaching is a developing industry, which has seen substantial growth as the economy is declining. Career coaching is not a quick fix to finding a new job, but coaching assesses for individual skills, work style, relationship interactions, and convergence of personal characteristics plus passion.
Understanding your work style along with your personal characteristics can help you and hiring authorities decide if open job positions are a match for your talents. Career coaches most likely will use a skills assessment test in order to gain a deeper understanding of your problem solving methods, career management style, and personal motivation because knowing yourself is the best knowledge to have when searching for a career. Career counseling offers career and industry tips, industry trends, resume building, job task and skills comparison. Most career coaches will assist you in rebuilding your resume and help you develop a “sales pitch” of yourself by condensing your past job experience into relevant attributes in the work force. Career coaches will not only understand the roots of who makes a good fit for a job, but they are also up to speed with HR hiring trends and policies.
Staying abreast of HR hiring trends and requirements is crucial for the career coach to offer the best service because the use of the internet has revolutionized the job search process. Knowing how and where to post resumes is crucial in the job search, but even more importantly is who sees your resume. Networking is always the best way to find a job, and career coaches are great resource into multiple industries and companies. Career coaches must also be educated on the requirements, potential, and various opportunities that different careers may offer, and thus can offer you valuable introjections into your career path. Coaches should know how your skills will be transferable to alternative or even better matched careers for your potential.
Coaching does not focus on the past like therapy, but concentrates on the future and achieving goals. Change in life comes with adjustment and a new understanding for oneself. A career coach can foster positive developmental growth as you are inevitably faced with change. Whether you are seeking out a new career or new challenge, or if change has been forced upon you, a career coach has the objective ability to help guide you in your path towards success.
