3 lessons I learned from my career coach

Photo by Jens Lelie on Unsplash

Feeling stuck in the same-old-same-old job routine? Do you dread work on Mondays? Maybe you're starting to feel like you need a new career direction.

A career coach could give you clarity and help you identify a path forward, just like my career coach did for me!

It helps to identify your "whats" and "whys" early in the process of working with a career coach.

Having a clear idea of your why will help you to tap into what you value as a worker. Having an idea of your what will give you some direction.

Grab some paper and your favorite pen...here are some questions to get you thinking.

• Why are you considering hiring a career coach at this point in your life?

• What are your reasons for being on a new career hunt?

• What sort of career might you be interested in?

• Is there a career that you've always wanted to try?

Once I committed to working with a coach, I realized that I had to really commit to carving out time for the tasks needed to work on my career goals.

Some actionable insights that may be helpful to you are:

• Prioritize yourself and work on your career search every day.

• For each job, create an original resume and cover letter to match the keywords in the job description, putting the most desired skills at the top.

• Keep a journal of your efforts and be proud of yourself for each accomplishment!

• To avoid burnout, listen to yourself and take a break when you need to.

You have to show who you are on your resume and cover letters using numbers and language so clear that no one is left guessing that you can do the job that you're applying for.

Here are some self-reflection questions to help you with this:

• Think about and list out your accomplishments. Why are you so awesome?

• Highlight your key skills. What sets you apart?

• Ask a coworker to give you feedback about your talents and abilities and take notes.

• Has your work gotten some compliments lately? Work those into your cover letter.

Now it's your turn! You deserve to have a satisfying career. A career coach might be just the resource needed to help you find your dream job!