by Crisanne Kadamus Blackie, M.Ed., NCCC of Promising Futures

Do you need a career tune-up? 
Most of us will wait until our career has a breakdown before seeking the assistance of a career counselor or coach, and even then we want to make sure that we can't fix it ourselves first. What would happen if you met with a career counselor or coach before your career had a breakdown, before being downsized or before you are so discouraged that you are ready to quit your job?  In response to that question, let me suggest that you would be well on your way to gaining meaningful employment, fulfilling your career dreams and looking forward to heading off to work each day. Does this sound too good to be true? It can happen by developing a focused action-orientated career plan.

Career counselors and coaches do not have all the answers for you. They can't answer the question "what should I be when I grow up?". However, they can lead you on a journey of self-discovery that will help you to answer the question for yourself. The most common issue that our clients bring to us is resume development. Most people start with a resume, without even knowing what they want to do, what their skills and talents are and where they would like to apply those skills. Your resume seems like the place to start. However, you need to define what you have to offer (your product) and what problems you can solve; then develop, commit and implement a plan. Until you understand your "product", you cannot define who needs your product or who is willing to buy it. This will take some time and some work. By going through this process yearly, you will be taking control of your future. You will be the one who decides where you want to be and what you want to do, instead of waiting for someone else to make the decisions for you. The more energy you expend in the process, the more energy you will get back in return.

What if you have already experienced a downsizing and are actively looking for a new job?  A career counselor or coach can help you here as well. If you need quick results, you will need to work smarter, not harder. Career counselors and coaches are experts at helping you to develop job search strategies, develope effective resumes and use all available resources to unearth job openings. 

However, not all career counselors and coaches are equally effective. Finding a career counselor or coach with whom you can work well, who will help you to identify your career gaps, and who will generate solutions and suggestions that will help you move forward is critical to this process. The difference between a career counselor and career coach is in the approach.  Both career counselors and career coaches will work with you to identify your interests, strengths and goals in order to develop an effective action plan and expect you to take responsibility for your outcome. Your coach will be direct, will push you, and will probably schedule check-in calls whereas your counselor will let you set the pace, encourage you to call when you need help, and expect you to report in at agreed upon times. Either approach will move you forward.  You need to decide which approach will work best for you.

There are many individuals out there who call themselves career counselors or career coaches. Let the buyer beware. In Maine, neither of these occupations requires a license; therefore it is your responsibility as a consumer to do your research. Career counselors should be registered with the State of Maine licensing board, have a graduate degree in counseling or a related field, have a solid track record of helping individuals be successful in their career pursuits, and experience that provides them insight into various career fields. Those career counselors who have earned the highest level of credentialing will have the designation NCCC (National Certified Career Counselor).  Career counseling tends to be face-to-face in an office setting. 

Coaches will come from a variety of educational and employment backgrounds. Check to make sure that your coach has attended a formalized coach-training program, taking between 1-3 years to complete.These training programs require the individual to participate in a set number of courses and prove mastery of specific coaching skills. Coaching is usually done over the phone, utilizing email for support in between appointments.

You should expect to pay between $75 and $150 an hour for either a coach or career counselor.  Expect to purchase at least 2-3 hours of time. Through accelerating your job search and finding meaningful employment, you will receive a great return on your investment.

Before making your first appointment, you should interview your potential career counselor or coach over the phone. 

After asking these questions, trust your instincts and select the best person to help you. Some organizations will offer you a choice of coaches and counselors. Make sure you know all your options; then make your selection.