How to Choose a Career Coach - Classy Career Girl

How to Choose a Career Coach Committing to the journey of navigating finding a career coach  is an investment in time, money and yourself. You need to be sure to start off with the right map or guidebook. I learned how to navigate the career coach world using my background in social science as a compass and today I am going to share with some ideas  for choosing a career coach as your guide: How to Choose a Career Coach 1. Do your research In todays online world,  it is easy to find resources  on the internet but also easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of whats out there. Try to use  strategies such as crowdsourcing to narrow down the career coach field. One well-known option is to do a search on Amazon for career books and then read the customer reviews. These are best if written by customers with a verified purchase of the book and who were not offered the book or product for free in exchange for an honest  review. You can also leverage social media. For instance,  follow people that interest you on Twitter, and see whose material those people retweet or who Twitter recommends that you follow based on your current list. 2. Take advantage of one-stop shops to maximize your time Check if your favorite career coaches offer weekly newsletters or digests through their websites. That way, youll be sure to never miss the most important or popular information theyve shared. You can also opt to receive newsletters from websites that aggregate material across multiple sources. For example, The Daily Muse or Daily Muse Twitter is a  user-friendly  site with many  quick, practical articles related to your career search. While the site is  made by and for millennials, the advice is sharp and applicable no matter what career stage youre in. 3. Take advantage of the free stuff Most coaches offer great free resources on Twitter or their websites so that you can learn more about their methodology and point of view. While you may not have the money to pay for a series of consultations with a master coach, you can learn a lot from going through these  materials. For example, Laura Garnett  (@garnettl) offers a free ebook, Maximize Your Joy At Work: 4 Steps to Having a Killer Career  Now, if you sign up for her newsletter, The Zone. And just last week, Christie Mims of The Revolutionary Club  tweeted about her free workbook: Want free help to find your passion? VOILA! https://t.co/3xEaJGXE7L  â€" Christie Mims (@RevolutionsClub) February 12, 2016 4. Know your learning style Some people like to delve deeply into a step-by-step written  guide while others prefer watching a series of videos or listening to podcasts. Whatever your style, there is most likely a career coaching resource out there for you. Of course, you can also dabble in all of the styles! I really enjoyed sitting down with The Pathfinder by Nicholas Lore (Rockport Institute), a classic in the career development field, and working through the different exercises. I also love getting a quick shot of knowledge by watching a TED Talk or listening to one of the many great podcasts out there on my way to/from work (e.g., Best Part of My Job or Best Work/Best Life by Kathy and Mo). 5. Pick a coach who has a map As coach  Kathy Caprino  writes on her blog  and on LinkedIn Pulse, An effective coach develops expertise in their craft and brings  an effective “model for change” that’s been proven, vetted and researched over many thousands of individuals, outcomes and scenarios, and is designed to help the client see her life, her problems, and the way in which she is operating in the world, differently. While  your journey is unique, a coach should provide a map  to highlight the highways and dead ends along the way. 6. Find a  voice that resonates with  you When I was researching career coaches,  I was drawn to female coaches who have an understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing working women today. I decided to take an online course  by Classy Career Girl (@classycareer, AKA @AnnaRunyan) because it has a clear methodology and her journey as a working mom with a young child resonated with me. As I also wrote about on my blog, Emilie Wapnicks (@emiliewapnick) work and TEDx Talk on being a multipotentialite  sounded off all sorts of bells of recognition in my brain. There are many coaches out there today so you should be able to find one  that can  speak your career and life language. 7. Match your needs with your budget While investing in yourself and your career is a worthwhile expense, you need to be realistic about what you can afford and what you feel comfortable spending. For some, a $250-$500 consultation with a career coach is what they would spend during a jaunt to the mall. But for others that would make a serious dent in their budget (or contribute to their debt). Another reason I love The Daily Muse  is that they showcase a series of career coaches who offer support at different price points, based on their level of experience. Browsing the list  was how I was introduced to Anna Runyans work and since I didnt have a specific question that could be explored  during a 30-minute session, I instead  chose Annas Love Your Career Formula 2.0 class because I could benefit from her  entire approach at a price that fit my budget. I hope these tips have been helpful and that youll join me again, as I continue  navigating  the terrain of career development and coaching. Whether youre a first-time traveler  or a seasoned explorer, heres to making it work and loving the journey!