by Marlo Lyons

Career coaches provide a range of services, from helping you figure out what you want to do to exploring opportunities for professional growth to supporting you through the ups and downs of looking for a new job. Engaging with a career coach requires an investment of time and money, so it’s important to do your due diligence to determine if working with one will help you accomplish your goals and if so, which coach might be the right fit for you. Here are five reasons you might consider hiring a career coach and five tips on how to choose one.


Know what type of professional you need to hire.

Career coaches help clients come to their own resonant decisions about how to “maximize their personal and professional potential,” per the International Coaching Federation. In other words, they’re there to help you figure out what you want to do and understand assumptions you’re making about yourself that are preventing you from advancing in your professional goals.

Career coaches may also provide some consulting services to achieve your goals, such as drafting your resume and helping you sharpen your interviewing skills. Importantly, career coaches should never promise they will get you a job or help you achieve a certain salary, because you hold the key to your success.

If the issues you’re trying to address extend beyond just your career, you may want to start by engaging a therapist, who can help you explore your past trauma and understand its impacts on all areas of your life, including your career.