Career Coaching

Sooner or later, everyone comes to a crossroads in their life. These are intersections where different paths can lead to different career options. On these highways it’s easy to become complacent, and so focused on the path ahead that these career crossroads moved past us unnoticed. For these life and career milestones it makes sense to take notice of our choices by taking some time to get some useful direction.

Career coaching by DLCC is designed to help you gather focus on a more rewarding future. The idea is simple – career coaching helps to identify goals and outline a clear path toward achieving them. Still, many first-time career coaching clients wonder aloud why they previously never sought professional career and life guidance.

In any career trajectory, there is always room for growth. Sometimes career changes need to be drastic, and at other times the situation dictates a more subtle path. Even the most highly skilled professional athlete utilizes coaching that is meant to refine their skills and technique even further. Your life, and your career, is no different.

Obviously, successful career coaching requires hard work. The real challenge in getting to the next level of your career, life, or education is understanding your strengths and then maximizing them to help you achieve success, happiness and balance. Career and life coaching is not therapy – these coaching sessions are designed to be practical, forward thinking, and aimed at helping you make decisions that lead to lasting satisfaction and success.

Do I Need a Career Coach? Three Signs that Indicate you Might

Sometimes the reasons for a career change are obvious, but often people are unsure whether that nagging feeling in the back of their mind is truly urging them toward a different career path. What follows are three indicators that a career coach could be beneficial.

1. You find yourself unhappy with your job.

While being unsatisfied with your current career is an obvious indicator that change is needed, it may not be initially obvious how a coaching might help. It is easy to get caught up in your day-to-day routine to the point where a career change seems impossible. Even though you realize that your job is not the right fit for you anymore, you face uncertainty about what your next career move should be.

A career coach helps you evaluate whether you need to learn to approach your job differently or if you should make the jump into a new career. There are many variables that come into play, and your situation is unique. This means that you need personalized coaching attention to evaluate your career and all of your options, even ones you might not have initially considered.

For some, a productive career change might be possible within the structure of their current employer, and for others a complete change of scenery will be necessary. Career coaching makes it possible for you to make these transitions with confidence and with the realization that there is no reason you should unhappy in your job. Indeed, being happy with your career translates into happiness with other aspects of your life.

2. You are frustrated managing your employees or creative team.

Sometimes it is necessary to work on your management abilities. The indicators include taking longer to get projects done, or a team that fails to function smoothly as a group. These kinds of frustrations can be particularly difficult to overcome without objective coaching from someone detached from the workplace dynamic.

When working relationships get out of whack it can be extremely hard to figure out exactly why. This kind of career coaching helps you focus on solutions that will improve the output of your creative team, and keep those relationships healthy and productive.

3. You need to make better career connections.

Sometimes turning your career around is as simple as improving the friendships and relationships you have with those around you. How you approach these relationships is at the heart of your career success, and the overall quality of your daily workplace experience. Developing these relationships to aid your career often requires a strategic approach that is aided through coaching. Your career coach can help you learn how to make friends and acquaintances in the business world.

Positive Changes from Career Coaching

There are stages in everyone’s life where a career change is possible, and beneficial. While this is not always true, a career manager coach works with you to determine if the timing is right for such a change, and how best to accomplish it. Other positive changes from coaching include:

  • Coaching helps you to think in new ways, and provide you with a different perspective.
  • Coaching gets you out of a rut – wishing for something better.
  • Coaching cultivates peace and balance in your personal life and family relationships.
  • Coaching helps you better see the connections between career, life, health, and relationships.
  • Coaching aids in forming better and lasting career relationships with employees and/or employers.
  • Coaching helps get you focused on a career path that really works for you. A career that feels easy and provides you with enjoyment and satisfactions every day.

Career Coaching – Understanding the Coaching Process

The coaching process is designed to focus on you. Sharon will ask a lot of questions. For example, “What’s holding you back?” and “What approaches and strategies can you experiment with?”

You will be encouraged to sort out your career priorities and ground your motivations. This will redirect your focus and shift your perspective in ways that will help you see your life or career in a new light. This is when career enlightenment happens, and your future starts coming into clearer focus.

Weekly or biweekly coaching sessions are aimed at identifying career or life obstacles, and developing a plan to overcome them. You will be guided to address difficult questions and encouraged to make immediate positive changes.

A career manager ultimately helps you to develop and grow, and gives you guidance on how to get the most out of your particular set of career skills. When you are realizing your potential and happiness, career contentment will follow naturally.

If you’re ready to begin your career coaching sessions, simply call 757-696-0694 for your free initial consultation, or complete the easy Request-A-Consult form.

Career coaching sessions are available in person in Sharon’s private office, or by phone. While based in Hampton, Virginia, her client base is national. With advanced booking, she is available to be on location for 1/2-day, full-day or multiple-day career management coaching, training, team observation or group facilitation at company retreats, board meetings or events.