I often hear the question, what is Career Coaching and why would I need it? You would think that this would be an easy question to answer since I am a Career Coach!  I should be able to simply write down my job description. Well, like anything that people spend a lot of time in, I had a hard time breaking down what I do on a day-to-day basis, so I went to my favorite resource: Google.

In my search I found that most information appeared incomplete and made me feel a little uncomfortable because it was so narrow in focus. Definitions like,  “a person who guides another in planning and managing their career, especially managers and executives”, and “customized coaching to achieve excellence in your personal life” do not provide a clear enough picture. They do not highlight how Career Coaching can be relevant to just about everyone, or what kind of services it can provide. With this in mind I went to my trusty team of Colleagues, all professionals in Career Coaching, and asked for their perspectives. What I have done is compiled their views to give you, the reader, a clearer idea of what it is we do in this relatively new field, and how we can help you regardless of where you are in your careers.

Amanda Peterson, Program Assistant to the Baristas Program, likened Career Coaching to what a Baseball Coach might do. A Baseball Coach can help you identify the things you are good at, how to place yourself in the position where you can use your strengths to maximize your potential, as well as contribute to the success of the team. They teach you skills to improve your game and help you celebrate your successes, guiding you through failures emphasizing the value of the lessons learned during the hard times. So too does a Career Coach.

Toby Lee, senior Career Counselor within the Career Quest Team, defined Career Coaching as a service that can help you make an informed career choice by teaching you how to use different websites to explore various occupations and Labour Market Information. It is a support in determining which occupations might be the best fit through the identification of transferrable skills, in conjunction with personal and professional value systems. Career Coaching is meant to motivate, encourage and assist in the establishment of realistic short and long term goals and promote the concept of continuous learning.

Ryan Paulson, Career and Employment Information Specialist with Career Quest, identified Career Coaching as the process by which you can receive assistance and guidance in your plan for growth, advancement and professional development in your desired field. This may be while you are currently working in your chosen occupation and looking for ways to move up or it may be that you are trying to move into your chosen industry from a position that is close to it in nature.

I believe that all three definitions are accurate and it is important to note that Career Coaching is a service that can be used by anyone wanting to make a life plan. It is holistic in nature meaning that it not only helps you consider which occupation or job is the best fit for you, but also looks at the bigger picture of your life.  It helps you identify what goals you would like to achieve in general.  You might be just coming out of high school and trying to figure out what to take in University, you might be graduating from post secondary education and trying to figure out what to do with your degree, or what kinds of occupations you might be happy in. You may also be someone who did not have the opportunity to complete your Diploma and want to establish some direction or idea of what skills and abilities you have. Career Coaching is not just for Professionals and Executives (although they use Career Coaches as well), but for anyone wanting to identify their strengths, explore their dreams, receive support in setting goals, explore options, receive some insight, or ideas they might not have otherwise thought of. If you want to determine if Career Coaching is what you need, visit the Career Quest website or find a Youth Employment Resource Centre near you to have some questions answered.  I know that we would love to help you figure out how to turn your dreams into a realistic plan of action!

This article was written by Patricia Leiser in collaboration with the team at the Career Quest program.