A good friend recently sent me the link to an article all about the value of coaching. I’m sure it’s no surprise to all of you that I loved it. However, it also reminded me that I should be reminding all of you why having a career coach is the best thing you can do for your professional development.
Here are the top 10 reasons you need a career coach right now:
1. You Could See A 300% Return On Your Investment
According to a survey in the article I mentioned above, wellness programs have been shown to provide approximately a 300% return on investment (ROI). In other words, companies that spend $1 on a wellness program earn $3 as a result of decreased turnover, fewer sick days, reduced health insurance costs, etc.
It’s no wonder wellness programs have experienced such tremendous growth; it makes financial sense. The same can be said about career coaching. If you invest in yourself and your career by getting a coach, you’ll see a return on investment in the form of professional growth and development.
2. Your Relationships Will Improve
Another study shows that professional coaching has an even greater impact on things like relationships and teamwork. The study says recipients of coaching saw a 77% improvement in relationships, 67% improvement in teamwork, 61% improvement in job satisfaction, and 48% improvement in quality.
Getting coaching on one aspect of our lives, like career coaching, can have a positive effect in many different areas. It’s a good kind of domino effect.
3. You’ll Have More Positivity In Your Life
Career coaches are trained to focus on positive outcomes and be a source of motivation. They tailor their efforts to help you find greater satisfaction. Since no two people are the same, having a career coach ensures you are getting assistance that speaks to your wants and needsânot someone else’s. More importantly, it’s been proven that the best way to get what you want is to surround yourself with positive people.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case with family and friends. So, hiring a career coach ensures you’ve got at least one positive influence in your life!
4. You’ll Be Following In The Footsteps Of Star Performers
One outdated stigma about career coaching is that it’s for people who are underperforming or troubled. On the contrary! Most smart folks who seek out career coaching do so because they want to be high performers and feel satisfied with their efforts.
In the article mentioned above, Paul Michelman, editor of Harvard Business School’s Management Update, says, “whereas coaching was once viewed by many as a tool to help correct underperformance, today it is becoming much more widely used in supporting top producers. In fact, in a 2004 survey by Right Management Consultants, 86% of companies said they used coaching to sharpen the skills of individuals who have been identified as future organizational leaders.”
So, by choosing to invest in coaching, you are saying to the world you believe in yourself and your ability to be a star performer!
5. It Doesn’t Take Up A Lot Of Time
Many people assume coaching is like working out: you need to do it daily to see any results. That’s true! But the good thing about career coaching, like working out, is that it doesn’t take much time if you have a plan, know what you’re doing, and have the right mindset.
Good coaches understand that you need to work professional development into your schedule. Moreover, studies show that just a few hours per month can have a huge impact.
At Work It Daily, for example, our slogan is “If you want to win, you’ve got to work it daily.” Working on your career for just a few minutes a day is enough to transform your professional outlook. This is the strategy we promote at Work It Daily, and it has helped thousands of our members find jobs and grow their careers.
6. Career Coaches Tell You What You NEED To Hear
While you may be friendly with your career coach, they are not your friend. They are your advocate for change.
Unlike your family and friends who are opinionated and biased about you and your career, a career coach will look at you objectively and strive to empower you to take the necessary actions to achieve your goals.
In short, while the people in your life tend to tell you what you want to hear, your career coach will be honest and tell you what you need to hear to make your career goals a reality.
7. You Could Get Your Employer To Pay For It
For the longest time, companies have only paid for their executives to have career coaches. But that trend is changing. According to the article previously mentioned, online shoe and clothing company Zappos.com, known for their outstanding commitment to creating a culture of unparalleled customer service (they even teach this through Zappos Insights), has a full-time goals coach who works with any employeeânot just managementâon helping them create better lives.
Now is the time to see if your company is considering budgeting for career coaching services as part of its benefits program. With all the surveys showing the positive impact it has, there’s a good chance your employer may see value in footing the bill for your career coach.
In the event you are laid off, you should still ask your employer if they will provide outplacement services to help you find your next job. Career coaching at any stage in your professional life, no matter what kind of challenges you face, can be a true game changer.
8. They’ll Help You Break Bad Habits
A good coach will never tell you what to do. Instead, they’ll help you identify habits that are holding you back from success. Then, they’ll coach you on the actions you should take to learn new, better ways to accomplish your goals.
In short, career coaches teach you how to remove roadblocks to success on your own, ensuring you can do this for yourself both now and in the future.
9. It Shows You Think Like An Executive
The article I mentioned above indicates some executives will pay as much as $3,500/hour for a particular coach. Yikes! That’s too rich for my blood. But the article goes on to say that most personal coaches charge a monthly retainer between $500 to $2,000 a month. What this means is either there are a lot of really silly executives wasting their money on coaching each month or they are getting results that make them feel it’s worth the investment.
At Work It Daily, our goal is to make career coaching accessible to everyone, not just executives with deep pockets, so you can think like an executive without worrying about the price tag.
10. You Deserve Better In Your Career
Forget the economy for a second and just ask yourself, “Do I deserve better?” If the voice in your head says, “Yes!” then you need to take action.
Let’s face it: if you could have found greater career satisfaction and success on your own, you would have by now. So, why not give yourself some well-deserved support that will help you get what you want and deserve?
We spend a third of our lives at our jobs. Isn’t it time you felt good about your career?
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