Career Coach. Career Consultant. Career Counselor.
Who are these people? What do they do? How does one differ from the other? Or are the same?
These titles are used interchangeably and it can be very confusing. Each is similar, but different.
Well that clears things up, huh?
Here’s the low-down on the name-game when it comes to Career Coaches, Counselors, and Consultants.
The Career Coach
A Career Coach works together with you to help you achieve your career dreams. The Career Coach listens, leads, asks questions, inspires, encourages, prompts and teaches.
The coach will brainstorm career ideas with you and even help to identify a career path, purpose or how to achieve results.
Best of all, the Career Coach is your accountability partner, making sure you are on track to meet your goals. If you want professional advice, the Career Coach will offer it. Just make sure your career coach is aware that you would like his or her opinion.
Think about it like this: A young golfer has identified a goal of winning a major tournament. The golf coach is hired to help the player improve his game by coaching him on his swing, his stance, what club he might use in certain situations, etc. The coach does not play the game for the golfer; he is there to teach, support, listen and encourage.
That’s what a Career Coach does when it comes to helping you achieve your career goals.
The Career Consultant
Similar to a Career Coach, the Consultant offers professional advice. To work with a consultant means you want the consultant’s advice and opinion.
Consultants are experts in specific fields or industries, or maybe in certain programs or projects. They are particularly good at identifying problems and finding solutions. Many times corporations will hire consultants to help identify areas of ineffectiveness and help develop solutions.
The Career Counselor
A Career Counselor usually has a special degree and credential or license. (Think of a Career Counselor as something more like a therapist, except for your career.) The counselor helps clients by offering advice using guided thoughts or intentions. They may use psychological methods in testing the interests of a client to determine a career choice.
If you work with me are you getting a Career Coach, a Career Consultant or a Career Counselor?
I’m a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC). I also use the title of Career Consultant since I provide professional advice to those who want it. The only reason I shy away from the title of Career Counselor is because my degrees are not in counseling, and it seems misleading to use that term.
Bottom line, my goal is to help you succeed. I put my thirty years of professional and personal experience to work for you.
As your coach/consultant, if I have a tool or idea that may help you succeed in your career search, I’m going to share it with you. I’m not a fan of letting you run in circles while I sit calmly by with the answers.
Call me Coach or Consultant, or even Counselor if it suits you. Either way, I’m here for you. 469-626- TAMI