Three Step Process for Hiring a Career Coach from the Wall Street Journal

Career-counseling (and career coaching) is a relatively new field but has grown rapidly since it's emergence in the 1980s. It is now a $1.5 billion business but is not regulated by federal or state authorities so a little investigation is required before hiring one. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal the best way for a job hunter engage an executive coach is to do the following:

1. Determine what kind of help you need by answering these questions.

Are you looking for a career counselor (who usually specialized in helping clients determine appropriate career paths or their overall job-search strategy) or a career coach (who often focus on reaching a career goal or improving a particular skill)?
Do you want assistance with the entire job search?
Are you interested in honing a specific skill, such as networking or interviewing?
Do you want to meet your counselor in person or are phone options acceptable?

2. Seek referrals from friends, search your local phone book and use the Internet to find professionals.

A Google search will generate large number of results but going to the sites of reputable professional organizations such as the Association of Career Professionals International in Washington, D.C., and the ICF, is advisable.

The ICF has this to say about hiring a career coach:

If you are considering hiring a coach, be diligent in asking the coach if they have been specifically trained in coaching skills and currently hold or in the process of acquiring an ICF credential. Don't be misled to think a coach is a competent coach because they have other professional credentials or set high fees.

3. Interview several individuals.

Don't hesitate to ask about fees. Many career professionals charge between $100 and $250 an hour. It's not unusual to work with a career professional in 6 to 10 sessions over a period of several months.

And, according to the WSJ, "stay away from those who require a large sum upfront or a lengthy contract -- or who guarantee you'll find work."

Caveat emptor.

This post is part of LifeTwo's Midlife Career Change FAQ covering all aspects of changing careers in middle age.