With the ever-chainging work environment, being top of your game in your career is now more important than ever. The miraculous work of career coaching helps with uncertainties, roadblocks and even stagnation that we often face in our careers. Whether it’s a new career direction, searching for jobs, planning a second career or simply feeling lost, a personal mentor and career coach can help you find the best solutions and reach your goals in the most optimal manner.

From top level CEOs to freelancers and executives, every working professional can benefit from coaching. Having trouble finding the right coach? Here are five tips to help you hire a career coach best suitable for you!

1. Define the problem

Having basic clarity regarding why you’re seeking coaching is essential. Even if you’re feeling lost in your current job, just the simple awareness that you’re “lost” is good enough to define the problem and partner with a mentor and coach to probe further. You can also try jotting down questions about your career that come to your mind spontaneously.

2. Check for professional credentials

Don’t just arrive at the doorstep of the first career coach that comes up on googling “career coach near me”. Getting a certificate means extensive training and examinations. Hence a professionally certified coach is better trained to optimise your skills and potential for best results.

3. Find the coach with the right “niche”

Career coaches have specializations, from executive coaching, helping freshers, and changing career paths to leadership coaching, early retirement and induction phase guidance. Depending on your goals and the phase of your career, choose the one best suitable for your career coaching in Bengaluru. In fact, don’t mind digging deeper. Go through various reviews, testimonials and even word-of-mouth information before making your final choice.

4. Connect over an honest intake call/meeting

Once you’ve narrowed down your best options, feel free to request an intake call or a trial session, depending on the coach’s policy and charges. The professional relationship that is to follow is bound to have quite an impact on your life. Don’t hesitate from treating it like a first date to check for compatibility.

You can also prepare some honest and important questions beforehand. Do you like their communication style? Do you feel understood? Be objective and honest with the coach and yourself.

5. Look for a personalized approach

You would clearly want to stray away from Career Gurus with their “recipe for success” for one and all. Everyone’s career journey and coaching needs are unique. Look for someone who believes in a personalized approach. During the introductory call, you can also ask specifically how they plan to help you and look for specialised solutions to your career needs or how they’ve undertaken similar cases previously.