Our experience through the pandemic has reshaped our priorities, identities, and our view of what we need from life. As a result, many of us are re-evaluating what we want from work [1] and asking ourselves ‘Why do I want to do what I do?’, ‘What am I good at?’ and ‘How can I thrive?’ [2]. In a Microsoft global study of 31,000 people, 47% of respondents said after the pandemic they have prioritized their family and personal life over work. Moreover, 52% of them are considering changing employers within a year [3]. This has caused a spike in people leaving their jobs described as ‘The Great Resignation.’ As many of us are thinking of our next steps, how can career coaching help us in the transition?
Thinking of changing jobs or careers is a big step and can sometimes be an overwhelming experience. Therefore, it is important to gain the right perspective and support to have a smooth transition. There are various sources of professional support we can seek when we are struggling to plan our careers or when we are wondering what we can do next. A career coach is someone who would be able to provide professional and effective support in dealing with the challenges of designing and managing careers [4].
What is career coaching?
Career coaching is a form of coaching that seeks to provide non-directive support for an individual with their career development within a specified time frame [4]. The main objectives of the coaching are to support the development of career goals and to implement steps that will help people to reach them. Additionally, the coaching will also provide an opportunity to reflect on skills, abilities and external conditions required for the coachees’ career.
A career coach evaluates the development status of their coachee in terms of their strengths, development areas and opportunities helping them to gain a deeper and different perspective about their career choices [5]. In order to achieve this, a career coach will often use various assessments such as personality tests, feedback reports, accomplishment exercises and interest inventories.
When can career coaching help you?
Career coaching can be helpful at any stage of our professional path, starting from our very first job to transitioning into other roles or even retirement [6]. It helps us to develop career-related self-efficacy beliefs, identify our career goals, plan our careers, and proactively shape it. Career coaching can help when we are:
- Exploring career options
- Transiting into a new external role
- Changing career direction
- Feeling of being “stuck” career-wise
- Realigning working life and personal priorities
- Positioning us for future opportunities
- Managing career risks
How can Impact help?
We at Impact pride ourselves in helping individuals to discover their strengths and help them reach their full potential. We offer executive and career coaching to support our clients to understand their goals and objectives and how to achieve them. As part of coaching, we offer psychometric instruments (such as the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator test or Strengthscope Assessment) to help the individual to gain a better understanding of their strengths and development needs. Our coaches adopt different coaching approaches (such as Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Person Centred, Gestalt and Cognitive Behavioural coaching models) as appropriate to the client’s needs. We create a safe space for clients to discuss their individual issues while challenging them to step out of their comfort zone. Click here to talk to us more about how we can support you in your career.
Useful Resources
- (2022). The great resignation- fact or fiction? CIPD Voice: Issue 33. Retrieved from: https://www.cipd.co.uk/news-views/cipd-voice/Issue-33/great-resignation-fact-fiction
- Ferrazi, K. & Clementi, M. (2022). The Great Resignation Stems from a Great Exploration. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2022/06/the-great-resignation-stems-from-a-great-exploration
- Work Trend Index. (2022). Great Expectations: Making Hybrid Work. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/great-expectations-making-hybrid-work-work
- Ebner, K. (2021). Promoting career optimism and career security during career coaching: Development and test of a model. Coaching An International Journal of Theory Research and Practice, 20-38. 10.1080/17521882.2019.1707247.
- Hazen, B., & Steckler, N. A. (2010). Career coaching. The complete handbook of coaching, 311-323.
- Cheeks, D. (2013). 10 Things You Should Know About Career Coaching. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/07/09/10-things-you-should-know-about-career-coaching/?sh=4f399e287d5e