3 ways a career coach will waste your money (even if they’re competent and experienced)

Image by Bruce Mars on Unsplash.

I’ve met all too many people who hired coaches and later regretted their decision. Too few career books offer solid tips about hiring a coach to support a career challenge.

Here are 3 little-known ways to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

BTW, this advice also applies to business coaches, too!

(1) Be clear on what you want from the coach.

If you’re not clear, it’s a good idea to schedule one session just to assess where you are in the program. Sometimes a life coach will be helpful if you want to sort out emotional vs. career challenges.

Be aware that many (perhaps most) career coaches are neither qualified nor interested in dealing with non-career issues. A career coach usually can’t address the emotional aftermath of a tough divorce or your limitations due to a spouse’s forthcoming retirement or a child’s tantrums about moving to a new location.

It’s usually a good idea to work with a therapist on emotional issues before embarking on a career change.

(2) Try to get one paid session before committing to a larger program.