Don’t Need a Career Coach? Think Again.

Landed a new job? Ask for a coach. 

Hate your job? Ask for a coach. 

Love your job?  Ask for a coach.  

Lost your job? Ask for a coach.

Sure, you can achieve accomplishments and make it through tough times all on your own.  After all, humans are goal-seeking, resilient beings --it’s part of our hardware.  We strive to achieve our goals and though painful, we are able to weather life’s storms.  

Yet, there are (at least) three ways having a coach improves your experience, no matter the current status of your job. In other words, coaching gives you that coaching edge.  

• Discern in times of transition.  

Landing a new job and losing a job have one major thing in common --transition.  Both involve huge change that affects you professionally, financially, and personally. Coaching helps you think straight through these dizzying times --it helps you sort out decisions to make, and constructive perspectives to take. The end result is a stronger, more self-assured you who can thrive in the new state of being. 

Read 3 Myths about Career Transition Coaching

• Extend, enhance, and expand accomplishments. 

See if this sounds familiar? You’ve reached a big goal. You conquered an obstacle and now it’s paying off.  What do you do in those moments?  Chances are, you might feel a bit of a rush, even celebrate a little, and go home feeling happy. But, not too long afterwards, you quickly move on to the next thing on your to-do list, trying to recreate that rush again. That's too bad, because it's a missed opportunity! 

Believe it or not, now is a great time to enlist a coach.  There's so much to be gained by “mining” those successes for the lessons they have to teach about the decisions you made and the person you are. And by simply feeling good and moving on to the next thing, you miss the opportunity for all of the potential and growth success has to offer.  A good coach can help you capitalize on that opportunity and make your successes work far beyond the immediate achievement. 

• Not just survive, but thrive during stressful times.  

Many of my clients have been the result of reduction-in-force efforts, losing jobs they've held for decades. And other clients absolutely hate their job. Needless to say, losing one's job ranks highly in the “most stressful life events” and being miserable, even when one has a job, takes a toll that affects people professionally and personally.  

Read 5 Surprises About Job Loss

For my clients, working with a coach was essential, not just for surviving challenging times, but thriving in them.  Having a coach allowed them to sort through the job-loss wreckage.  For those who are unhappy in their jobs, coaching enables them to use that misery to their benefit.  Either way, having a coach allows you to discern what you really want in life, recognize your strengths,  and take powerful, bold next steps in your life. 

About the author:  Diana Jacobs, one of the effective coaches at Invicti Partners LLC, has partnered with clients undergoing all of these phases of their professional life, enabling them to land on their feet, with their head on straight, and the confidence to take those bold, next steps.