Reduce Job-Seeking Anxiety, One Session at a Time
According to Demetrius Cheeks, writing for Forbes, some job seekers limit their opportunities because they have low self-esteem, are looking in the wrong places for their skill sets, or for one of many other reasons. Those who are struggling with the job-seeking stage of their careers may want to turn to a career coach.
What Is a Career Coach?
A career coach is someone who has a counseling degree and specializes in professional development. Career coaches can be found in high schools, on college campuses, at staffing agencies, and even in private practices. Some of these facilities — like high schools and colleges — may offer career coaching for free, and you may be able to utilize those services, depending on your relationship to the facility. For those who do not have access to free coaching, hiring a high quality career coach can vary in price from $75-100 per hour, depending on the coach.
What Does a Career Coach Do?
It’s important to research the career coach you wish to visit so you know what services they offer. Common basic services provided by career coaches include, but are not limited to:
- resume reviewing and editing;
- mock interviewing;
- advice on career searches;
- exploring new fields and industries;
- and advice on LinkedIn profiles and cover letters.
Donna Sweidan, an experienced career coach and counselor, says two main misconceptions she hears are that a well-constructed resume guarantees a job and that career coaches will finda job for the seeker. Sweidan says the sole purpose of career coaching is to help job seekers improve their confidence and lessen their job-seeking anxiety.
Career coaches are highly beneficial for young candidates who are new to the hiring process, as most of them have a background in HR and recruiting. According to Recruiter.com’s own Matthew Kosinski, job seekers go into interviews full of energy, ready to land a job, and fail to understand what they’re doing wrong. Younger students that still have access to campus career coaches have the ability to take advantage of mock interviews to reduce interview anxiety and sharpen their interview skills.
Make Sure You’re Ready for a Change
Whether or not you’re investing money into a career coach, you’re investing time and energy, which are both very valuable to anyone seeking a job opportunity. Therefore, it’s important to be certain you are prepared to work with a career coach before you decide to do so. Executive leadership coach Jamie Galloway offers a few signs that you may be ready to move forward with finding a career coach, including:
- willingness to invest time into counseling;
- enthusiasm for life-changing events;
- optimism about breaking old habits;
- openness to risk-taking;
- and a determination to follow through with your actions.
What to Consider When Looking for the Right Career Coach
Finding a career coach that fits your individual needs is important. You must find the right career coach in your field of interest to better your results. CoachMarket provides free pointers for subscribers from coaches and offers a mentor/mentee match-up program, which can help you in your search — if you’re ready!