Career Change Coach: what are they and why should you hire one?
Career changes are increasingly being made every few years, unlike 50 years ago when it was the norm for you to join a company and ‘move up the ladder’ within that organization.
Furthermore, with increasing transparency amongst employers and the importance placed on well-being and happiness at work, it’s no surprise that career pivots are becoming much more frequent.
However, the difficulty is working out the right pivot without spending months (or even years!) trying out all the options, only to discover that none of them are a good fit.
Well, that is where a Career Change Coach comes in. Many career coaches may support changes in the profession, but there are coaches (like me!) who specialise in career transitions.
A career change coach!
What is a Career Change Coach?
A Career Change Coach is a coach (hopefully a qualified one!) who helps individuals transition from their current state. Whether that be employed or unemployed, into a new career path and job role. A coach supports you to explore blockages, both internal and external, that hold you back from making progress. They listen and ask powerful questions to support you.
Note: A Career Coach is not a counsellor or therapist and therefore, they aren’t there to help with mental health problems.
Career Change Coaches will vary in their approach. Coaching in its purest form isn’t about directing or giving advice. However, many coaches supporting people in career change (like me), may give advice or mentoring support. In my practice, I include strengths-finder tests and DISC personality profiles, as well as CV reviews and interview support. The reason for this hybrid of coaching and mentoring is to ensure the best possible results for clients. It complements the exploratory phase alongside successful strategic next steps.
A Career Change Coach is there to help their client discover who they are and what they want in their career. It can feel increasingly hard to move or pivot in your career at different life stages as more variables arise, such as finances, home, experiences, and location.
A career change coach will help you take all this into account, explore who you are, understand your career options, and support you to take action in the most effective and strategic way possible.
Why would you hire a Career Change Coach?
Some reasons for working with a Career Change Coach include:
You feel like you’re in a job because you ‘fell into it’
Your job has served you well but you know you want more,
You’re finally ready to take that next step, but you don’t know how
You may have no job satisfaction, or feel stagnant
You may even lack the belief to take the leap of uncertainty
It can be a tough decision to make, and deciding your career based on your happiness and strengths isn’t something on the national curriculum at school.
Hiring a Career Change Coach will help you move from feeling stuck, lacking direction, and overall struggling to stay motivated, to feeling confident in your direction and happy with what you need to do to make this happen.
Also, if you feel overwhelmed by the myriad of options now available to you, a coach can support you to feel calm and clear on what it is you need to do and will support you to take the steps that often feel out of people's comfort zone.
Who may benefit from a Career Change Coach?
Coaching is for you if you have tried other avenues, have Googled the s**t out of ‘how to change career’ and are still drawing blanks on what you really need to do and how to get there.
Working with a Career Change Coach is for anyone who is:
Overwhelmed
Stuck
Lacking in motivation to continue the job search
Letting self-doubt win when it comes to their job hunt
Allowing fear of failure to keep them where they are
Procrastinating
But is ready to …
Take action
Reflect deeply on their values
Be committed to their growth
Be coached
How to Choose a Career Coach
The ultimate proof of how good a coach is? It's always in the stories of their clients. Read some of my client testimonials here.
But, the best thing you can do with coaches is test the water. Most coaches offer free consultations to see if you are a good fit. This is a perfect opportunity to see how you get on with them and whether they have experience in coaching a situation similar to yours.
What are the fees
Getting clear on fees is done differently - some coaches may advertise their fees and have static packages that dont move, and others may not. My fee’s currently (2024) range from approximately £800 to £3,500. This depends on the coaching you require and the length of time we would work together.
Coaches typically charge in one of two ways: either on an hourly basis, or as a package of support.
Hourly fees can range from £50 to £500 per hour – and beyond. Packages can typically start from £600 and go into the tens of thousands.
This will help you filter coaches based on both the level of support you would like and what your financial options are.
If you are interested in working with a Career Change Coach, here are your options!
Join my Change Career with Clarity & Courage programme. This is a 4-6-month course of 1 to 1 coaching to help you make your dreams a reality.
Book your FREE, 30-minute clarity call today.
Investments for this course range and are explored more in the booking page of your consultation.
Sarah is a Career Change Coach. She helps women breakthrough and pivot in their career. Whether you're not networking, developing your own work or side hustle! Stop feeling like you don’t know where to start and reach out!
Sarah has a Masters in Psychology and is both accredited by and a member of the British Psychological Society. She has experience working with the military and corporate sector in recovery, transition, leadership, and mentoring.
