Should You Hire a Career Coach?

What does a career coach do?

At the most basic level, having a career coach is like having a brand awareness team, said Rachel Bitte, founder of RB Consulting.

“These professionals understand how to pinpoint the best aspects of your professional experience and market it in the most attractive way possible to potential employers,” Bitte said. “They’re well versed in crafting resumes, career planning, motivation techniques and, most importantly, network building.”

According to Vicki Salemi, a Monster career expert, job coaches usually have extensive experience in recruiting or human resources.

“They can help you with a variety of tasks,” she said. “For example, with my clients, we look at long-term dream careers, what they currently do and how their next job can lead them closer to their dream job.”

Coaches also give their clients accountability to keep the job seeker on track to move toward their next role, Salemi added.   

When to hire a career coach

Many people assume a career coach is only beneficial after you have submitted dozens of applications and are in desperate need of a job. While this would be a great time to find a coach, it’s not the only time they can provide support.

“Whether you’re just starting out and unsure which path to take, hoping to chase a new passion, or you’re ready to move to the next level, getting an outside perspective from a professional can be extremely helpful,” Bitte added.

Salemi suggests hiring a career coach before you really need one.

“If you’re thinking about leaving your job, but aren’t sure, you may want to hire a career coach,” Salemi said. “It’s important to be proactive. Don’t wait until it feels like you absolutely detest your job and can’t stand going into the office.”

Salemi explained career coaches don’t all provide the same service. Some coaches can help with an upcoming interview, while others specialize in negotiating salary and benefits.

How to find a career coach

The best way to find a career coach is through word of mouth referrals from friends. However, you can also find great coaches on social media sites like LinkedIn.

“A career coach is not always easy to find,” Bitte said. “A referral would be [best] … but that’s not always an option. So, you’ll need to do some homework and dig through Google and social media to identify someone you can trust with your professional wellbeing.”

Lauren McAdams, career advisor and the hiring manager at Resume Companion, said it’s a major red flag if a career coach asks for a large upfront fee. 

“Always pay by the hour for a career consultant’s time,” she said. “This ensures that you aren’t locked into a potentially underwhelming service long-term and protects you from a fly-by-night operation.”

While a career coach is beneficial to anyone looking for advice, some may not be able to afford one. You can become your own coach with a little discipline and direction if hiring a professional is outside your budget.

“By applying some simple tactics such as taking stock of where you [are], seeking feedback from a group of confidants and holding yourself accountable, you can figure out your goals and lay out your own roadmap to make them happen,” Bitte said.

How much does it cost to hire a career coach?

Similar to the fees many professionals charge, the cost of hiring a career coach varies depending on their experience and credentials, field of specialty, success rate and the location of their practice. A career coach who is well known and respected in their field, such as a published author, will be able to charge more than a coach that is not considered an expert. Career coaches who are in high demand or work in cutthroat fields may also charge higher rates.

Generally, career coaches charge $75 to $150 per hour. More in-demand career coaching services can run from $250 to $500, occasionally even higher. When you’re choosing a career coach, the bargain option may not be the best option. Ask the coach if you can talk to their former clients before you agree to fork over any cash.

What kind of training do career coaches have?

Most career coaches don’t hold a specific certification. Instead, many have become experts in their field and decided to market their skills to help the next generation enter careers they’re passionate about.

While some schools offer career coaching or career counseling certificate programs, such a certification is not indicative of a career coach’s quality. Their resume, expertise and references are much more valuable than any certification.

What are some pros and cons of hiring a career coach?

Pros

• Valuable industry experience: When you find the right career coach, your investment of a few hundred dollars will more than pay off in the long run. Good career coaches have worked within an industry for quite some time or have years of experience in job recruitment, which gives them unique insight. They can help you land the job you’ve always wanted, get a promotion or even start your own business. 
• Streamlined job application process: Career coaches’ expertise and unbiased attention will help you get the results you’ve been hoping for, often in a fraction of the time it would have taken if you’d continued making mistakes on your own. The biggest advantage of hiring a career coach is they help you learn from someone else’s mistakes. Sometimes they were even the ones who made those miscalculations, and they figured out how to get past them.

Cons

• Pricey rates: Though it is an investment and their experience may be worth the price tag, a career coach’s hourly rate can be steep. The cost may be worth it depending on your urgency. For instance, are you looking to transition from your current position to another one, or are you unemployed? This can make the $75 to $150 an hour a tougher pill to swallow.
• Scammers: If you’re thinking about hiring a career coach, bear in mind that not all coaches are what they seem. Although there are many reputable coaches who can help you with a career change, interview preparation, resume rewrite and more, many coaches have little to no experience in the field in which they claim to be experts. Look into a prospective coach’s background, and talk to past clients independently before investing in a professional. Using referrals is the best way to avoid hiring a fake.

How do you prepare for a career coaching session?

After you’ve found the right career coach, ask them what you should do to prepare for a session with them. Every career coach is different. Some will want you to come prepared with questions. Others will want you to bring tangible materials, like your current resume or a list of your career goals.

If your coach lets you determine your session’s direction, picture beforehand what your desired outcomes are and what relationship you want to have with the career coach. Write these goals down, and then figure out what you have been missing that’s kept you from achieving those things on your own. You can share all this information with your coach, and if you don’t know what you’ve been missing, ask them for input during the session.

How do you become a certified career coach?

The best way to become a certified career coach is to start with a thriving career in a competitive industry. Success in your chosen field will help you as a career coach, because you will have the tools job seekers need to achieve success themselves. Many career coaches only do coaching on the side of their successful career. However, if you’re ready to retire, becoming a career coach may be an ideal second career path, especially if you enjoy helping others.

If you don’t already have success in another career, consider becoming a career counselor instead of a career coach. While most career coaches work independently, career counselors often offer the same services, but are part of larger organizations – such as high schools, community colleges, charitable organizations or prison reentry programs. Instead of working with professionals trying to become executives, career counselors assist younger people or those who have fallen on hard times.

Bassam Kaado and Saige Driver contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.