Career coaches, like other professionals, should be judged on their merits and reputation. While anyone can hang a shingle on the door and advertise that they are a career coach, it is practical results that you want. And any reputable career coach should be able to show you a track record of successful job placements for satisfied clients.
1. Check credentials. It is important that they are certified from an accredited organization and have the experience to not only help with interviewing or negotiating, but can rewrite and improve your résumé as well.
2. Ask for references. Don't be timid about interviewing your career coach and asking for references. If the career coach is good, they will also look forward to touting their successes and achievements and putting you in touch with other clients who can brag about how great they are. When a career coach begins to fidget and change the subject when you ask about their results, it is probably a sign career coach women that they lack confidence.
3. Make a connection or don't hire them. One of the most important things to look for when trying to choose a career coach is a personal connection and feeling of comfortable and open communication. The best career coaches are also the best listeners, and if you don't feel that you can effectively communicate with your career coach - for whatever reason - then keep looking until you find someone that is a more natural match for you. Career coaching is all about understanding a person's talents, needs, and goals. And much of the career coaching process is spent talking about choices, options, and strategies for landing the appropriate job for a satisfactory salary.
4. Is your coach asking the right questions? And in order to really listen well, a career coach has to know how to ask the right questions. Just as your potential employers will ask you well-crafted questions to try to get to know you during an interview, a smart career coach will be trained in the art of questioning you to help you see the big career picture.