Consider Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. They are the best football players in the world; even so, they still need expert coaches for their continued improvement. Likewise, executives and management personnel in any professional field should have a career coach to improve their efficiency and competence. Career coaches can provide you expert advice on how to plan your career and elevate it to new heights.
Role of Career Coach
First and foremost, let’s understand the role of a career coach. A career coach is an expert who has the knowledge and skills to aid you in discovering your true potential. Career coaches can assist you in understanding the areas which are your strengths, as well as your weaknesses. Even more importantly, a career coach comprehends your dreams and aspirations. These individuals can guide you to choosing the best possible career path and to achieve professional success.
Brutal Honesty is the Best Policy
A career coach, it must be understood, is not your friend. While this may first appear as a negative claim, it certainly should not be. Unlike your family and friends, who are likely to be opinionated and biased about you and your career, a career coach will judge you objectively; while the people in your life tend to tell you what you want to hear, your career coach will be honest and tell you what you need to hear to make your career goals a reality. A career coach provides these observations to empower you to take the mandatory actions to achieve your professional goals. These coaches are your advocate for true and meaningful change.
Confidence and emotional intelligence are critical elements to professional success. A pristine resume will not do an individual any good with these key traits. Career coaches, beyond anything else, can assist in developing these essential characteristics. Career coaches will provide a positive-yet-not-biased influence that is vital toward achieving your professional goals. Knowing someone is looking out for your best interests can sometimes be all that is needed to give someone that extra effort to keep persevering and working for what they desire.
Insider Knowledge
Career coaches have their finger on the pulse of job markets. They understand the norms and tendencies of hiring managers and particular professional fields. Career coaches can provide the equivalent of “insider information,” which can give you an edge over other competition who does not utilize such coaching.
 Career Coaching is for High Performers
One of the stigmas associated with acquiring career coaching is that it is for individuals who are underperforming, and not as skilled in their professions. However, this is certainly not the case. Most individuals who seek out career coaching do so because they want to be high performers, and they aim to use every conceivable tool to achieve their aims. According to Paul Michelman, editor of Harvard Business School’s Management Update, “Whereas coaching was once viewed by many as a tool to help correct underperformance, today it is becoming much more widely used in supporting top producers. In fact, in a 2004 survey by Right Management Consultants, eighty-six percent of companies said they used coaching to sharpen the skills of individuals who have been identified as future organizational leaders.”
Everyone can benefit from a helping hand. When it comes to one’s professional livelihood, it is even more important to make sure you maximize all the aid you can. Career coaches are just the type of helping hand you should turn to.
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2 Comments
sandipan bose
November 4, 2013 at 1:02 pmJamie
February 25, 2014 at 11:41 am