Why did you become a career coach? I get this question a lot because many people think that it is an unconventional line of work. However, it is not, and I enjoy supporting people who find themselves at crossroads when choosing a career or decide to take a different path profession wise.
My decision of pursuing career coaching, and getting certified, came from personal experience. I noticed a close acquaintance of mine struggling with her career.
Then I ran my own research into the matter and realized that wrong career choice is a universal problem among students, not just restricted to Canada.
According to a survey, more than half of the working Canadians, if given a chance, would choose a different career path.
It’s quite distressing to be true. One day, I came across this ICF accredited career coaching course, and that’s how my journey began as a career coach in Canada.
My Role as a Career Coach
I mostly work with high school students and graduates but also offer support to people who are seeking a change in their career profile. I have also worked with people who find it difficult to get back to work after taking a break and suffer from a lack of confidence.
My job is to aid individuals who are seeking a bright career that utilizes their strengths and augments their potential to yield good performance.
When it comes to students and fresh graduates, I support them in getting answers to dilemmas evoking questions that usually one faces at that stage, such as: What are they passionate about? What do they want to do with life?
I do not help my clients to get a job but assist and offer support so that they can solve the issues that are hampering their career choice themselves. Getting to solve the problem on your own, boosts morale and confidence in a person.
I motivate and inspire through my approach and coax my clients to find what they are passionate about.
My Experience as a Career Coach in Canada
It has been 6 years since I have been working as a career coach in Canada. Everywhere, especially during the university admission season, I get to help students making the right choice career-wise, and it gives me a great sense of fulfillment.
On an ending note, I would like to share a story with the readers. About a year ago, a 32-year-old woman came to me. She was distraught, as she was not finding peace in the job that she was doing. The client was quite skeptical when she came to me, not sure whether she will get the answers she was seeking.
She was in an accounting job and had been working in the same office for 5 years. I started with the standard procedure of some exercises to analyze and then a few sessions. Turns out that her passion was in writing, and she had been maintaining journals since a teenager.
After a few more sessions, she found the direction that she needed in her life. We are still in touch. At present, she works as a freelance writer and pursuing a course on publishing. It’s never too late to achieve your dreams, provided you get the right aid and motivation.
