Many people do not know the difference between a career coach
and a career consultant. While both can help with your career, they hold very
different functions. A coach helps you figure out you while a consultant tells
you what you need to know. Both can be tremendously valuable to your career,
but think about what you need before hiring one. Here’s some more detail on
each of the functions.
Career Coach- Coaching is a process that begins by
understanding your vision. What do you want in your career, in your life? About
50% of the people I talk to do not know their vision. Once a vision is clear,
the coach will probe you, finding actions to bring you closer to your goal. The
coach can free your thinking and empower you to solve your own problems. Be
aware that many who call themselves coaches are not trained as coaches and act
more as consultants. The industry is not regulated, so it is legal for someone
to call themselves a coach without training or using coaching techniques.
Career Consultant- A consultant will answer your questions.
If you already know what you want and where you want to go, the consultant
should be able to give you guidance and the information you need to make
progress. The consultant shares his/ her expertise with you so that you can
gain from the knowledge s/he has collected over the years. If I was to hire a
consultant, I would want to make sure they have technical expertise in the area
of my interest. I would also look for someone who has been where I want to go
or had done something I want to do. As with coaching, there is no training or
credentialing required to call yourself a consultant.
Both coaching and consulting can be a valuable tool
depending on what type of support you are seeking. Before hiring either be
clear on why you chose to hire someone and make sure that person will get you
where you want to go.
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