Career Transition Coaching – A Complete Guide

Career Transition Coaching

You’re about to learn everything there is to know about career transition coaching.

If you’re wondering whether career coaching can help you, what is involved or how to find the best careers coach, this is the guide for you.  

Having helped countless clients through a career change in the past, I can confirm that this form of coaching can be extremely helpful, regardless of what you’d like your next career to look like.

Career Transition Coaching
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As you’ll see in the guide below, the steps that career coaches take to prepare you for a new career path often follow a proven formula. 

This formula – which has brought success to so many clients in the past – can then be tweaked to match your situation. 

You can create a path for a huge range of careers with coach support. Read on to discover how career transition coaching can help propel you into a happy professional life.   

Career Transition Coaching

Who is career transition coaching for? 

Career coaching isn’t just for people who know what career path they want to pursue.

In fact, you might not even be convinced that you need a career change.

This form of one-on-one coaching could be beneficial for anyone who isn’t as happy in their career as they would like to be. 

After all, it’s the job of a career coach to help their clients find satisfaction in their careers.

This may or may not require a new professional direction.

Your mentor will be able to help you discover what makes you happy in work, and the best steps to make that happen.

To discover whether a career transition coach is likely to be helpful for you, I’d encourage you to ask yourself the following questions: 

  • Are you less happy in your job as you used to be? 
  • Are you less satisfied with your professional life than you would like to be?
  • Do you feel lost or resigned to being unsatisfied in your professional life?  
  • Are you excited by the idea of a career change?
  • Are you nervous or unconfident about the idea of a career change?
  • Do you feel you need guidance or motivation to get into a specific line of work?  

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, career transition coaching could be a fantastic investment. 

What does a career coach do? 

Below, I have broken down the main services provided by a career coach into three key categories. 

Client evaluation

This step is particularly crucial for clients who are unsure about what career will satisfy them.

A career transition coach will be able to ask the questions that help you discover this.

They’ll be able to help you determine your personal values, discover what makes you tick, assess your most useful skills.

Importantly, they’ll also be able to encourage you to speak honestly and without filters about what a dream career would look like.

If you have any doubts that have previously blocked you from pursuing this career path, a coach will take the time to unravel these and explore whether these beliefs are accurate. In most cases, they’re completely fabricated. 

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It’s not the role of a career transition coach to tell you what the best career path is, but they can do everything needed to help you reach this conclusion for yourself.

A tailored plan to help you on the path to your next career 

A career transition coach can help you create a plan to make your dream career a reality. 

They’ll help to research the skills and qualifications you need for a job in your desired career, and plan the steps to acquire these. 

This may include advice on how to take care of your mental health throughout your job hunt too.

Changing careers can be incredibly stressful and frustrating, after all.   

Ongoing support and guidance throughout your job search

The services within your career transition coaching program don’t end once you’ve created a path to your next profession. 

A key benefit of any career coaching program is the ongoing support and mentorship provided throughout the journey. 

You’ll be helped to create a compelling resume and cover letter. You’ll be given tips for networking and job interviews.

You’ll be able to spend time discussing job interviews or new career opportunities, and receive feedback that’ll help you perform better in the future.  

Your career transition coach will remain by your side providing valuable services for as long as you need them.

This support can help you to keep making steps towards your dream, even when the going gets tough.   

How to find the best career transition coaching

The market for life coaches claiming to be able to help clients transition into a new job is relatively oversaturated. 

Below is a list of skills that separate the best career transition coaches from run-of-the-mill mentors. 

  • They can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the modern job market;
  • They take the time to understand and empathize with your problems; 
  • They can demonstrate experience of helping people in similar situations as you, ideally backed up by testimonials; 
  • They are flexible as far as when and how they can communicate with you;
  • They are able to clearly explain the steps of their coaching transition program.

Does career coaching really work? 

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It’s common for people considering career transition coaching to wonder whether it’s really worth the money.

Of course, if they help to skyrocket you into a new high-paying career for the next two or three decades, that is an undeniably good investment.

Indeed, many career transition coaches will help you to research the average salary for jobs in your desired industry and provide tips for negotiating a fair wage. 

Even if you change into a career that doesn’t pay more than your current line of work, it’s tough to put a price on career satisfaction. 

A great career transition coach will undeniably have the skills to help you move quickly into your dream career. 

The career transition program offered by these individuals will help you improve in various aspects of your job search in ways that traditional recruiters never do. 

  • Expert career transition coaching will help you gain clarity in your professional life.
    This often translates into additional passion for your desired line of work.
    You better believe that employers will notice this during job interviews and networking events.
  • The proven career transition program and ongoing support provided by coaches will help you gain the self-belief you need to craft an entry and make an impact on your dream career.
  • You’ll have a mentor who can point out the blind spots sabotaging your job applications. 
  • You’ll be given expert guidance for the skills to develop, as well as how to showcase these within a great resume and cover letter, reducing your risk of being ignored by employers.   
  • You’ll be provided ongoing tips for wooing employers within a job interview and negotiating the salary you deserve. 
  • A great career transition program will incorporate the latest changes in recruitment strategies, providing you with pointers that your competition may not yet be aware of. 

On my website you will find more helpful resources about career transition coaching programs, that also answer general questions about careers in coaching. 

Your next career could be closer than you think.

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About The Author

Bijan Kholghi is a certified life coach with the Milton Erickson Institute Heidelberg (Germany). He helps clients and couples reach breakthroughs in their lives by changing subconscious patterns. His solution-oriented approach is based on Systemic- and Hypnotherapy.

Bijan