It can be a
good move. A good job search coach can
save you a lot of time and angst, and assist you in finding a better job
faster!
While there
is NO MAGIC PILL that can get the job done in a nano-second – as some job seekers I’ve met would
like –
there definitely are advantages to seeking the help of someone who knows
more than you about finding a job today.
A good job search coach can . . .
- Instruct you in the right moves to make and in what order.
- Update you on what’s current in job seeking techniques, especially if it’s been a while since your last job search.
- Help you figure out and interpret what things mean.
- Just as importantly, advise you on what actions NOT to take.
- Go above and beyond the immediate task of job finding and help you get a view of the task from the 20,000-foot strategic level, and help you plan your job search strategy, and then
- Get down in the weeds and identify, assess, and assign tactical moves you should make to implement your job search.
So, hiring a coach can be one of the best investments you can make in your career whether you . . .
- Need a job
- Are employed but thinking about making a transition
- Want to move laterally or vertically in your current organization
- Need a tune-up to tune into or up your interpersonal skills, career strategy, or some quality that is derailing your career.
“I never worked with a coach, . . . ”
You may be
saying to yourself that you never worked with a coach, or had a less than
successful experience with one, or “It’s not rocket science - I can figure this
out on my own.” So, if you’d prefer to
go it alone, that’s OK. However, if you
are beginning to think that hiring a job search coach is in your best interest,
read on.
Don’t make these Mistakes When Hiring a "JSC"
A Job Search Coach - that we’ll refer to from now on as your JSC
- who isn’t right for you can cost you time, opportunities, and dollar$. So, it is critical to find the right coach
for you to avoid these costs. To do
that, avoid making these 6 mistakes when hiring your own JSC.
Mistake # 1: A Magic Pill !
That
elusive magic pill . . . that cure-all that if you could only find it would
make everything so much easier! Well,
there isn’t one for:
● Losing weight
●
Getting out of debt
● Getting rich using this simple technique
● Earning your degree in a nano-second, or . .
.
● Finding a job!
There are
no magic pills to accomplish these tasks. None are easy. Each takes commitment, some knowledge building,
and a willingness to put in the time and do the work!
If it sounds to good to be true, . . .
Be wise and
beware: If the solution sounds too good
to be true, it probably is.
I continue
to hear promotions for "jobs in 30 days," or "30+ job offers in 2 weeks," ya-da -
ya-da- ya-da! And, I often hear the flip
side of “Former executive out of work for 3 years, living in their car,
destitute” or “Submitted 1000 applications and never got one call back.” When I hear either of these extremes of the
job seeking spectrum, they don’t ring true.
Trust me,
after years of working with 1000s of clients, the truth is this: If you
want a job, you’ve got to do the work!
And, hiring a JSC is no magic pill to cure your job seeking ills. Don’t have such expectations, nor hire a
coach who leads you to believe that the task ahead of you is easy or
quick. Sure luck plays a part, and a job
seeker can find an opportunity sooner rather than later. But, for most, finding a job is a process
that takes some time and involves:
● Planning a strategy
● Learning about, developing, and learning to
use their marketing tools
● Pro-active networking, leading to pro-active
interviewing
● Negotiating their offer'S' - the goal of any proactive search
● And
planning for their continued career growth!
Advice: So, if a prospective coach tries to offer you
a magic pill, run - don't walk - the other way! Run
toward a coach who initially paints a realistic picture of the path ahead and
work involved in finding a job in today’s tough marketplace.
Mistake #
2: You’re mismatched.
So, look
for a coach with whom you feel comfortable . . . and this should begin from
your first interaction. Certainly,
relationships in all aspects of life develop and grow, and the relationship
between you and your JSC is no exception.
However, most of my clients tell me that they felt “comfortable” from
our first contact, initial meeting, or initial phone call and felt, or even
said that “they wanted to work with me.”
If you feel uncomfortable, beware and explore further before you commit.
Often,
those in career transition will reach out to their network for a referral to a
JSC. (We JSC’s appreciate those
referrals! ) However, just because a JSC
and your network contact were a good fit doesn’t necessarily mean you will be. It’s like getting a
referral from a friend who raves about their doctor or hairdresser,
etc.; then you meet the doctor or lawyer and it doesn’t work for you. Referrals are a good way to find a JSC, but
just keep in mind that personalities and work styles don’t always mesh.
Advice: You have to feel a comfort factor, that also
leads to confidence and trust in your coach.
I’m not talking about those feelings you get from time to time of being
annoyed at your coach for pushing you to complete tasks, attend networking
meetings, . . . in other words to make progress. That's your JSC's job and they are pushing you toward things that are good for
you and will get you where you want to go.
No, I’m talking about a nagging feeling you may have that this may not
be a good partnership for getting you where you want to go. If it’s there, beware and keep
searching. And, that leads me to Mistake
# 3.
Mistake #
3: No accountability.
Most coaches offer an initial exploratory meeting in which they learn about you, your situation, and goal. They provide an explanation of what’s involved in the process of finding a job and working with them. Use this time to ask questions, and evaluate if you feel both (1) comfortable with the coach and (2) the process you’ll be embarking upon. Listen for “To Dos” that the JSC will require of you.
For
instance, I give my clients "To Do's" which need to be done by our
next meeting. Sure, most JSCs work with
the client on the resume, but I actually give them assignments on not only
their resume, but on development and use of their network plan and marketing
plan. We then decide upon what professional
associations and networking opportunities need to be identified, attended, and
followed-up. We later assign target marketing
to prospective employers tasks. With
these “To Do’s,” clients feel a sense of progressing. I think most like it ---
despite some whining! -- because
they feel they are making progress . . . and they are!
Advice: Job search
is a process. A job seeker has to follow
the process. A good job search coach is
going to make sure you do. They will
hold you accountable for what you do and what you fail to do, and they’ll not
be shy in telling you about it. If the
coach you are considering hiring doesn’t acquaint you with their process for
finding a job today, nor discuss the steps required, buyer beware!
Mistake #
4: A lack of dot-connectivity . . . or
vision
I recall
the time a client walked into a coach’s office and emerged 20 minutes
later. I was surprised because my client
meetings are rarely under an hour, and often even run over. To my questioning look, the coach said of the
client: “He only had 2 questions!”
Here’s the point: Great coaches see the big picture! They rarely stop at 20 minutes or 2
questions. They see what they
client doesn’t see, beyond the immediate questions, because they know their
field and can see what’s coming down the pike.
Drawing upon their knowledge of the job search process and challenges,
the client’s profession and industry, the employment market, and the status of
employment in general, they use the
questions as jumping off points to enhance the questions' answer and the
client’s education, as well as preparation for and assignment of more
tasks.
Advice: "Job seekers don't know what they don't know." But the great coach does, and will use these "teaching moments" for the client's advantage!
Mistake #
5: Your JSC as Your Trainer
- Win at conquering their fears of networking,
- Win at getting a networking meeting with a hard-to-reach contact,
- Win at learning how to interview network contacts for information,
- Win at interviews, and
- Win the job that is their dream job!
Great JSCs
are trainers who will push you to develop, do the work, and hold your feet to
the fire. The essence of their job is to
train their client in the process of how to find a new position or make a transition in their current job. Granted, due to the turbulent times of ups
and down over the last few decades in employment, as well as the professional experience a
job seeker has, clients come to their JSCs with different levels of
knowledge about how to make a transition:
- Some who have been through previous job searches, may only need a tune-up of their job seeking skills and knowledge;
- Others who have never needed to find a job before need to begin at the beginning!
A sign of a good coach is
they take your experience into account and meet you were you are.
Advice: Look for a coach who describes a logical,
orderly, progressive approach to your job search and expects you to follow it - a sign of a good trainer. Look for a JSC who has stories to tell and
experiences to recount about their clients’ successes in following the process,
as well as the outcomes for those clients who balked at having to follow the
process or do the work and who were less than successful.
Mistake #6: It’s all about sales
Job search
is all about sales . . .
- Knowing what you bring to the marketplace,
- Learning the needs of organizations within the marketplace for the capabilities, education, and experience you possess, and
- Being able to discuss with a company or organization how hiring you could help them solve their problems, fulfill their needs, and achieve growth and success.
When you
are able to articulate how you can help, and back it up with proof via your
achievements, you are SELLING. It is
neither pushy nor bragging. It is using
the “facts” of your past achievements to make a case for future ones that you
could contribute to your next employer.
Advice: Look for a coach who understands the fact
that job seeking is all about sales.
Better yet, look for one who has actually “sold” products and/or
services so they can teach you how from their personal experiences, successes,
and yes . . . failures! Selling yourself is the essence of job
search, and you need a coach who can help you do so. The message is this, . . . if you can’t sell,
it’s hard to teach someone how to make the sale and getting a job requires
making the sale!
A "Smart Strategy!"
Hiring a Job Search Coach - a JSC - is a smart strategy. It can really help you get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow. But, as with all things important, Buyer Beware. Being aware of the 6 potential mistakes you can make can help you avoid them. It's a Smart Strategy.
A "Smart Strategy!"
Hiring a Job Search Coach - a JSC - is a smart strategy. It can really help you get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow. But, as with all things important, Buyer Beware. Being aware of the 6 potential mistakes you can make can help you avoid them. It's a Smart Strategy.
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Linked In: www.linkedin.com/pub/nancy-c-gober/6/14b/965
