Career Coaching: Which Coach Do I Trust?
Career Coaching: Which Coach Do I Trust? This is a very good question — There are so many coaches. In the past decade, there has been an explosion of coaches and it IS thus difficult to know which is the right coach for you. I know when I begin the journey to find an ‘expert’ my first question is: “How do I know who to trust?”
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There are some fundamentals you can seek out before you even connect with a professional: And, always remember that you are interviewing them – it’s your commitment of both time and money, so be willing to be searching in your questions.
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Firstly, ensure they are qualified. My suggestion is that you would be looking at ILM level 5 if not 7 (or the equivalent)
Secondly, Who did they qualify with? I can’t recommend a particular provider however, there are plenty that I would not recommend. Universities are not necessarily a guarantee of quality.
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Thirdly, How long did they train for? A weekend introduction REALLY isn’t enough to create a fully competent coach. The qualifying process is the alchemical journey the coach needs to take themselves before they can even consider providing this for other human beings.
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My training was a full year and upended my world. I’m very glad it did because I, therefore, have respect for the power of the interventions that are used. I know how to do this “dance in the moment” with each client so that the work we do is the most potent fit for our relationship.
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Fourth, How many hours of coaching have they provided? A couple of hundred hours will get you someone competent. 10,000 hours will bring you an expert.
Career Coaching: Which Coach Do I Trust?
Fifth: What professional bodies do they belong to? There are three that are highly rated: The AC (the association for coaching), the ICF (the international coaching federation) and the EMCC (the European Mentoring and Coaching Council). Coaches who belong in any capacity are thus contracted to adhere to their code of ethics.
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Sixth: Another question to ask is ‘do you have supervision?” It’s not an obvious question for anyone who doesn’t inhabit the therapeutic world. However, coaches carry the burdens of multiple clients, it’s safest If those narratives and any coachee’s responses to them get downloaded and processed really regularly.
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Seventh: Are they insured? If you get a no then don’t go there.
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Eighth: And, do see if they have testimonials you can trust – so, not the ones on their website. But those that are socially provable. Those that are obviously linked to a real human and can be seen on a platform such as LinkedIn or, (and I hesitate to say this), Google… then you know they are not made up.
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Those are the basics:
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The Relationship is the PIVOTAL point in whether the coaching work with be effective. Nothing will be achieved if there is no trust..
Ninth: The rest comes down to The Relationship, by which I mean ‘do you and the coach have a connection?’ And, ‘will you feel comfortable being open with them’.
The Relationship is the PIVOTAL point in whether the coaching work with be effective. Nothing will be achieved if there is no trust.
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So, this is the bit where you are going to have to risk trusting yourself. If you come away from meeting these coaches feeling inadequate, scared or there’s something just not quite right – really hear that in yourself, sit with it for a few days. Talk the experience over with someone you trust. If, however, you come away feeling full of the hope of possibilities and like you might already have this connection then trust that too.
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And, even if you have had a fabulous experience, my guidance would be this: STILL, sit with it for a couple of days. Don’t ‘think’ about it. Sleep on it, and let your wise body tell whether it’s right for you or not – you really do know.
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