career coach? Forum

[chuckiecheese]

I wonder if anyone on here has any recommendations for career coaches, specifically geared toward people who want to leave the law/biglaw?

[CanadianWolf]

Why not seek advice here?

Share what you do and what you like & dislike about your current position. What did you study during undergraduate school ? Any other degrees or certifications ?

Career options = Reason some earn a dual JD/MBA degree.

[Anonymous User]

Why not seek advice here?

Share what you do and what you like & dislike about your current position. What did you study during undergraduate school ? Any other degrees or certifications ?

Career options = Reason some earn a dual JD/MBA degree.

As someone who has multiple family members who do varying forms of career coaching, that is not what a career coach does at all (at least a good one). It’s way more than just posting on an online forum and people telling you different options based on your degrees and interests.

OP: i don’t have any specific recommendations but I know some firms (including my own) offer free limited career coaching as a work perk through outside companies. At least at my firm, you have to pay if you want more than a few sessions, but it lets you test the water with 5-10 free sessions.

(Anon because I would be identifiable to my firm based on discussions with others about my family members’ background in career coaching)

[CanadianWolf]

Are you asserting that a "career coach" won't ask a client these questions ?

P.S. Why is the above post anonymous ?

[chuckiecheese]

Why not seek advice here?

Share what you do and what you like & dislike about your current position. What did you study during undergraduate school ? Any other degrees or certifications ?

Career options = Reason some earn a dual JD/MBA degree.

As someone who has multiple family members who do varying forms of career coaching, that is not what a career coach does at all (at least a good one). It’s way more than just posting on an online forum and people telling you different options based on your degrees and interests.

OP: i don’t have any specific recommendations but I know some firms (including my own) offer free limited career coaching as a work perk through outside companies. At least at my firm, you have to pay if you want more than a few sessions, but it lets you test the water with 5-10 free sessions.

(Anon because I would be identifiable to my firm based on discussions with others about my family members’ background in career coaching)

yes, I think it may include some of those questions but would be much much more personalized and go deeper than the resume type credentials (which posting on here would definitely be revealing!).

[nixy]

yeah, I would imagine any real in-depth career coaching would require revealing more details about oneself than many people would be comfortable sharing here. (Also getting a JD/MBA isn't very helpful for anyone who's already graduated, which it sounds like the OP probably has.)

[CanadianWolf]

Of course anyone professing to be a "career coach" should probe deeper.

Advice in threads is not limited to OP so suggesting that some earn a joint JD/MBA degree to enhance career options is appropriate advice.

Just what are the qualifications for one to become a "career coach" ?

[nixy]

Of course anyone professing to be a "career coach" should probe deeper.

Advice in threads is not limited to OP so suggesting that some earn a joint JD/MBA degree to enhance career options is appropriate advice.

Just what are the qualifications for one to become a "career coach" ?

Probably to convince people you can be one. But people are allowed to want to use the services of one.

That said, I still don’t get how recommending a JD/MBA is at all responsive to someone asking for a career coach because they want to leave biglaw/law, in the absence of any other information about them.

[CanadianWolf]

Are you serious ?

Posters can ask others on this website for alternate career suggestions. Any suggestions, however, should be based on the likes, dislikes, talents, and goals of the individual.

Psychological tests for career suitability are available for free on the internet.

Again, what qualifies one to be a "career coach" ?

[nixy]

Are you serious ?

Posters can ask others on this website for alternate career suggestions. Any suggestions, however, should be based on the likes, dislikes, talents, and goals of the individual.

Psychological tests for career suitability are available for free on the internet.

Again, what qualifies one to be a "career coach" ?

Yes, I am absolutely serious. Why would you think I’m not?

The OP didn’t ask for career suggestions, but for info about career coaches. Discussion of whether a career coach is useful seems fair game. Suggestion of a JD/MBA in a vacuum doesn’t really have anything to do with anything, and I disagree with defaulting to an MBA simply based on someone apparently being unhappy with biglaw.

And I meant what I said about career coach qualifications. If you can convince people that your advice about their career is helpful, you can call yourself a career coach. Not sure there’s any kind of official certification program anywhere. Some career coaches are probably generalists who focus on helping people figure out what they themselves like/are, some probably specialize in a particular industry.

[nealric]

Perhaps I'm too cynical, but I've usually thought of career/life "coaches" as a synonym for unlicensed therapist. I'd place higher value on trying to get career advice from other professionals in the field. Or, if the goal is trying to figure out what you want in life, a licensed therapist might be a better bet for working through those issues. I bet you can find licensed therapists who specialize in career issues.

[nixy]

Yeah, I think that’s all fair. I’m sure some are helpful enough, but agree that often talking to other people in your industry (or a licensed therapist) will be equally or more helpful.

[CanadianWolf]

Finally !!!

It's fairly easy to distinguish young posters from posters with more real life experience. Which is fine as we were all young at one time.

Just thankful OP wasn't in search of a "life coach". LOL It is actually a real "profession" for some.

One prep school with which I am familiar used to require all students to take a career assessment test based on psychology. Amazed at the number of students for whom "mortician" was listed among their most suitable careers.

In answer to the OP's request for a "career coach" recommendation, try the US Army--you'll be directed to a career.

The request for a "career coach" reminds me of a cartoon from the New Yorker magazine over a decade ago.
A man with a pizza in his hand is closing the front door while remarking to his wife: "Honey, I think our financial planner just delivered the pizza."