When NOT To Hire A Career Coach

Midlife career change means you’re not always ready for a coach.

Recently I got an email from someone I’d met at a networking meeting. She was looking for a new career and heard I did some consulting in this area. She visited my site and said she’d like to set up a consultation.

But, she said, she had questions. Over a series of emails, she raised them. She wanted to be sure I could work with someone in her field with her particular challenges. She was concerned about the fee. What exactly would be included? Would we have enough time in one session?

I assured her I had worked with others in her situation. I was genuinely confident that I could help.

But, like most experienced consultants, I realize the client’s perspective will make a huge difference in the outcome of a consultation. When someone’s resistant, it’s hard for me to do my best work.

So I suggested she reconsider. When your intuition sends mixed signals, usually it’s time to find another path to reach your goals.

There are no absolutes. I’ve worked with clients who received “A Session With Cathy Goodwin” as a gift. They were completely skeptical and didn’t expect much, yet they walked away surprised and satisfied. A couple of times clients have written, “I didn’t think we’d accomplished much in our…