Career Coaching: Is it Right for You?

Many individuals will turn to career counselors when they have been looking for a job unsuccessfully for a period of time. These are the worst possible circumstances under which to seek the guidance of any type of career counselor. You may be discouraged and vulnerable and may fall into a trap of high hopes and unrealistic expectations: resulting in increasing your level of disappointment.

Others will seek help if they can’t seem to pinpoint a clear direction or when they feel they have exhausted their own resources. Career counseling can be extremely useful if utilized at the right time and under the right conditions. If you have been thinking of making a transition for quite some time but haven’t yet identified any possible new avenues, a career counselor can guide you through identifying your aptitudes. They can also help you construct a strategy for planning and executing your campaign. If you are gainfully employed and you can afford the investment, this method may save you time and help to polish your approach.

But career counselors are not a job resource. They cannot impact the job market and create jobs where none exist. In most cases, they cannot put you in contact with employers or get you interviews nor can they negotiate an employment agreement. They cannot guarantee you will even find a job by using their service. Think of career counselors as personal marketing specialists. In the end, the job of finding a job is entirely up to you.