How a Career Coach Can Bring Clarity and Confidence to Your Job Search
When you're stuck in a rut, career coaching can equip you with the practical tools and positive mindset you need to reach your goals.
Whether you're navigating a job loss, looking to make a career transition, or simply struggling to land interviews, coaching can be an excellent resource.
Your coach serves as both a personal trainer and a cheerleader, so to speak.
They hold you accountable for taking action and serve as a constant source of encouragement.
When working with a quality career coach, the focus of each session remains on your needs.
Your coach is there to guide you as you make career decisions, apply for jobs, and prepare for interviews.
Each coaching session is also tailored to the areas you need to work on.
Whether you want to focus on exploring alternative career paths, identifying suitable roles, or positioning yourself for a promotion, we ensure you capture value from your coaching sessions.
How do I know if I need a career coach?
Do any of the following statements resonate with you?
"I was recently laid off. I'm overwhelmed, and I'm not even sure where to start."
"I would like to transition to a new field or company, but I don't have experience in the field."
"My job is making me miserable. I need a change, but I'm not sure what that looks like."
"I never seem to make it past the first-round interview. What am I doing wrong?"
"I haven't looked for a new job in years. I'm not sure how to make the most out of LinkedIn or apply for jobs online."
If any of those statements ring true for you, you'll benefit from working with a career coach.
A career coach can help you:
1) Clarify and stay accountable to your career goals
If you are unhappy in your current role, your coach can help you think through which types of roles and industries may be right for you.
They'll also provide practical career exploration resources.
For many clients, the most valuable component of career coaching is the ability to reflect on (and secure) a role that not only aligns with their skills and desired lifestyle but also with their purpose.
Once your career direction is clarified, your coach will prepare an action plan to keep you accountable for the steps you need to take to reach your goals.
At each session, you'll update your coach on the actions you've taken to ensure that you are consistently making progress.
2) Prepare quality application materials that differentiate you from similar applicants
A top-quality resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile are critical to your success in the job search.
Needless to say, today's job market is extremely competitive given the global economic crisis.
Your resume is often the deciding factor in whether you get invited for an interview.
A career coach can ensure that yours is:
- Achievement-based, helping to differentiate you from other applicants with similar backgrounds
- Free from the most common resume writing pitfalls that cause recruiters to say "no"
- Optimized for applicant tracking systems (ATS), which are used to pre-screen applicants before your resume makes it into the hands of a human
Note that some coaches will only provide feedback on your personal marketing materials.
Others double as resume writers and overhaul your materials from scratch, if needed.
3) Develop a job search strategy
A career coach will help you create a strategy that drives results.
You'll work together to identify the right individuals to reach out to and networks you can leverage to help you land interviews.
In your job search, a "spray and pray" strategy when it comes to applying for jobs and submitting your resume tends to be ineffective.
In other words, sending out a higher volume of applications does not necessarily mean you will see results. The reality is often quite the opposite.
Jobvite research shows that over 45% of applications come from job boards, but only .96% of those candidates are hired.
In contrast, over 32% of applications that come through hiring managers and 8% of referrals get hired.
Your coach will help you use your time wisely and apply through the best possible channels.
That said, there is a clear difference between a coach and a consultant.
A coach is there to serve as a third-party, reasonable sounding board who asks targeted questions, guiding the discussion and exploration process.
Their role is to help you understand what you're looking for and create a plan that you will execute to arrive at your desired destination.
In other words, your coach does not to the work for you and tell you what you should do. You arrive at your own conclusions.
A consultant, on the other hand, provides concrete direction. They may actively recommend suitable careers, conduct research on your behalf, or complete job applications for you, for example.
4) Provide motivation and encouragement
You can rely on your career coach for motivation and support throughout the job search and application process.
The coaching relationship is built on trust, and a coach's priority is to help you succeed in all aspects of your life.
If you are coping with a job loss, stressed at your current job, or frustrated with your career search, your coach can help you help you reframe your situation in a more positive regard.
They'll also hold you accountable and let you know when you need to step up your game.
5) Advise on interview preparation
Once you start to secure interviews, your career coach can help you prepare for interviews and conduct mock interview sessions.
They will help you iron out your responses to difficult interview questions and ensure that you're conducting an appropriate level of research on each company.
Through mock interviews, they'll point out areas of improvement and teach you to structure your responses in a compelling, structured manner.
As a result, you'll be able to walk into your interviews well-prepared and more confident.
In Summary
Career coaching sessions can be a great way to create a career plan that you’re comfortable with and prepare for job interviews, helping you land your dream job.
To see if it's right for you, you can start with just a session or two to make sure you and your coach are a good fit for each other.
If so, you can start to meet more regularly or sign up for one-off sessions as needed.
About Resume Pilots
Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.
As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.
Our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.
Here's how we can help you:
Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing Services: If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional resume writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.
Executive Resume Template Downloads: If you plan to prepare your own resume, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly resume templates for Microsoft Word.
To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email team@resumepilots.com.
About the AuthorMatt Glodz
Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.
After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.
At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years.
He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.