Could Career Coaching Benefit You? (part 5)

This entry is the final post in this series. In addition to the various ways that a career coach could benefit you that I already discussed, a coach is someone you can talk to about other issues that relate to your career decision, or inability to make a decision. They can discuss potential obstacles in your path and help you identify ways to overcome them.

Consider these questions:
1. Are you planning to or would consider relocating?
2. If you have a spouse/partner is he/she currently working and willing to relocate?
3. If you have already begun a job search, are you OK with the pace of your activities in your search? Or have previous job searches gone about as you had anticipated?
4. Do you have a disability that would not effect your work performance, are you confident about how disclosure of it might impact your search?

If you have read the entire series and answered the questions posed in each, you may see that there are many ways a career coach could benefit you. For almost all of the questions, if your answer was "YES", then you are pretty confident and should be able to manage your job search on your own. Although, you may still want to talk with a career coach or counselor about a specific aspect of your search.

If your answer was "NO" to many of the questions, it may be that you could benefit from the assistance of a career coach (or a career counselor). A professional can help you address issues or concerns you have about making a change and help you sort through fact from fiction abut today's world of work.


Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling or life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor. Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCarerPlan@cinci.rr.com.

Could Career Coaching Benefit You? (part 3)

In part 2 of this series, I talked about the basic written materials you will need for a job search. Obviously, those materials should be designed to attract the attention of a potential employer. Although it is a good idea to check your newspaper and identify an on-line site or two where you may want to post your resume, you will not want to depend on those advertisements for the majority of your job search efforts. In today's market, the large majority of jobs that are filled are not advertised, so you must supplement that search with your own marketing campaign.

You will want to identify organizations that have your target position(s) or may need someone with your qualifications and background. Much of that research is conducted by talking to people that you know and other people they know. Your career coach can help you prepare to conduct informational interviews and to prepare for an active marketing campaign.

Obviously, you must still be prepared to handle the job interview process as a professional. If it has been a while since you conducted a job search, you may be a little concerned about how you will perform in an interview. These days, many initial screenings are conducted via telephone and more in-person interviews are conducted in a small group, not just one-on-one interviews. So, although you will need to prepare your written documents, you should also be prepared for the interview process.

Consider these questions:
1. Are you able to speak clearly and present a professional appearance?
2. Are you able to talk about yourself and your accomplishments without
sounding as though you are being boastful?
3. Are you comfortable and able to maintain your "cool" during stressful
interviews and group interviews?
4. Are you comfortable with your negotiating skills?

Again, your career coach can provide assistance and guidance as you market your skills/background and prepare for interviews. S/he can also talk with you about what might be a reasonable request in negotiating.

Check back for continuing entries on this topic.


Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor. Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.

Could Career Coaching Benefit You? (part 4)

This is the fourth segment of a series, Could Career Coaching Benefit You? One area of a job search that many people don't think about is their references. Many employers still ask for references from job candidates and it is important that you have professional references to provide. A career coach can help you identify people to serve as your references, if needed, and help you communicate with them so they will be of most value in your search. They can also share suggestions for ways in which you should "take care of" your references.


In today's job search, your references could be a very significant part of your background. It goes beyond asking a co-worker or your former supervisor to serve as a reference. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Are your references the RIGHT professionals for you to use?

2. Do you and your references understand their role in your search?

3. Do you know how to improve the performance of your references when
they are talking about you to a potential employer?

4. Can you make the reference-checking process easier for your references?



A coach can also help you adjust to your pending (or current) transition and assist you through the decision-making process to select your next direction. S/he can also assist you to determine the feasibility of your new goal(s) and help you develop a plan to achieve them. Consider these questions:

1. Are you considering making a change in your profession, career path or industry?

2. Have you identified your transferable skills?

3. Are you concerned that you might be 'stuck' in your current industry or profession?

4. Do you know if you have the skills needed for your desired direction?



Having appropriate professional references will add to your overall marketability, but you must help prepare them to take on that task. Once you determine the direction in which you would like to take your career, then you can decide which individuals will be the best references to use for the search. Your career coach can help you with the preparations for your search and can provide support, encouragement, perhaps information as you work through your decisions.


Check back for the final segment in this series on career coaching.

Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor. Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.

Could Career Coaching Benefit You? (part 2)

This post is the second in a short series of entries about career coaching. When many people think about what a career couch might do, they think about help with preparing for interviews. That is one area where you may or may not need a lot of assistance. Some people are just more comfortable with communication than others. If it has been years since you conducted a job search, you may find it very helpful o discuss today's interviewing processes and typical or frequently asked questions.

But before you get to the interviewing stage, you will need a basic resume, cover letter, and other letters. There are individuals who will create a resume for you, for a fee. A career coach generally will be able to review your written documents and may recommend changes to enhance your presentation. Also, having another person review your documents is always a good thing, as you may have missed a typo or other error.

Additionally, you may need to consider these questions:
1. Do you already have a current, up-to-date resume?
2. Do you know how to create a cover letter that generates interest in you?
3. Do you know how to revise your resume to fit different situations/positions?
4. Do you know how to market yourself to organizations that have not advertised a position?
If not, it may be that you could benefit from some of the services offered by a career coach. This topic will be continued in the next entry.

Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor. Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourcareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.

Could Career Coaching Benefit You (part 1)

Career coaching is a relatively new field. There have been other types of coaches for years and you can probably think of some of the more famous ones, but in the last few years, there has been a niche created for career coaches. If you are considering conducting a job search or need some input regarding managing your career, you may benefit from the services provided by a career coach.

This is the first in a four-part series of entries regarding the benefits of career coaching. As with other kinds of services, the extent of assistance provided to you by a career coach may vary, but in general, they can assist you with identifying who you are, clarifying your goals, and determining the fit between them. Some of the activities a coach may assist you with include gaining a better understanding of your skills, values and interests; identifying and researching occupations and industries of interest to you; and helping you determine the kinds of work activities that do and do not appeal to you or fit with your qualifications.

Additionally, the following questions may help you decide if you could benefit from some help:
1. Do you know "who" you are - professionally?
2. Are you clear about your career objectives?
3. Do your skills and qualifications match your objectives?
4. Do you know the industries in which you are interested and will be focusing your search?

Your career coach can also help you to develop a job search plan and the tools you will need to carry it out. Marketing is a very large part of a successful job search today and a coach can help you select the best marketing strategies to use. A coach can also be very valuable in helping you prepare for networking; which is also vital in today's job search.

Additionally, the following questions may help you decide if you could benefit from some help:
1. Do you understand that the job search process is similar to the sales process?
2. Do yo understand that YOU are the product you are selling and that you must effectively merchandise and promote that product?
3. Do you know how best to optimize your networking contacts and results?
4. Do you know which job advertisements to respond to and which to ignore?

Your career coach can help you determine your best job search strategy and the possible benefits of the various marketing strategies.

Check back for the continuing entries on this topic.

Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor. Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.

Identifying Your Transferable Skills

In the last post I talked about writing stories that demonstrate your transferable skills. Those stories, or information within them, may help you in responding to questions from a potential employer during an employment interview. Several people have suggested that, although they have stories they have written, or could write, they are not sure about how to identify which of their skills would be considered transferable. In general, transferable skills are those that, although they were learned and/or developed in one particular setting/work situation, they are also applicable to other work situations or settings or for other purposes.

With the growth of the Internet, there is a great deal of information available fairly readily, that used to require more digging to uncover. One option is to do a search and just type in your computer application search box, "transferable skills'. It should return a list of sites that have information related to various skills. Some have lists of the "preferred" skills or the ones most frequently sought after by employers. A few sites that I believe are worthwhile to visit include Ohio Learns, the University of Southern California Office of Student Affairs, and the University of Toledo.

Ohio Learns includes a Self Assessment: Transferable Skills Survey in their Student Services tab. Although my guess is it is intended for people who are looking into educational opportunities, it likely could also be used in your employment assessment. You could go to their home page at www.Ohiolearns.org and find the assessment or you could enter through www.ohiolearns.org/get_a_plan. Scroll down the page to the list of "Tools" and select the 'Self-Assessment Surveys'. The skills survey allows you to determine your level of ability - none, enough to get by, some, or strong ability - in five broad skill areas. After you respond to the survey, your feedback includes the two or three top skill areas you identified. Their site also includes an Interest Survey and Values Survey.

The University of Southern California Career Planning & Placement Center has a page with brief descriptions of 9 broad transferable skill areas. It can be found at http://careers.usc.edu/docs/handouts/Transferable_Skills.pdf.

The University of Toledo Career Services office has a checklist of more specific transferable skills with brief descriptions of each. That can be found at www.utoledo.edu/utlc/career/pdfs/transferable_skills_checklist.pdf.

Whether you check out one of these pages, find another site, or use/create your own list, I believe it is important and helpful to identify your transferable skills. It does not matter so much where you learned or developed a particular skill. So your list may include some work-related skills and some skills used in volunteer activities, or skills you have developed in your home or community activities. The key here is to identify the skills you possess that could be used in other situations.

Knowing your transferable skills can be a clue to your next career if you are considering a change. And if you are in the midst of, or plan to make a career change, I believe it is vital to be able to identify and share those skills that would be needed in your next work situation. Not only should you be prepared to discuss some of your transferable skills in a job interview, it could also be a boost to your self-esteem to review your skills - especially during those times when you are not feeling particularly needed or valued.


Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor (L/WC) by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.

Your Accomplishment Stories

As a counselor, I believe that writing can be a very beneficial activity for a number of reasons and situations. As a career Counselor, I encourage my clients to do writing as they consider their next career direction and as they prepare for job interviews. This blog entry addresses writing in preparation for job interviews.

I mentioned last week in the "Interview Questions" blog entry that I encourage my clients to think about their past and write five or six accomplishment stories. As they encounter various questions during job interviews, there will likely be opportunities to share at least pieces of some of those stories as answers.

Before you begin to write, you will want to think about the various accomplishments from your life - these may all come from work-related situations, but could also involve volunteer or community activities or personal/educational goals. So think of things from your past in which you take pride; preferably things you enjoyed or found challenging, but you learned something from the experience. They need to be situations that would be appropriate to share and you should have been the 'main character' in the story.

You will want to create five or six stories which demonstrate transferable skills that you enjoy using and/or personal traits which would be beneficial to a potential employer. The stories do not have to be very long, but should include specifics about what the situation or problem was, how you got involved, what you did, and some results or outcomes. You may need to mention other people who were also involved with you. It is a good idea to include something about why you are proud of that particular accomplishment or what about the story would be appealing to a potential employer.

Not only could those stories be ideas you may want to share during an interview, but they can also serve as a boost to your self-esteem. Sometimes during a job search your self-confidence may take a dip as you are unsuccessful in landing a job you really wanted or have contacted people and don't seem to see any real results yet. Remembering a time when you felt good about what you have done can work wonders for your mood and emotional health - no matter what the reason you remembered.


Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, grief work, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.