A coach is someone that helps individuals meet their goals. That is a broad definition and there are many different types of coaches: career coaches, life coaches, fitness coaches, executive coaches, time management coaches, and more. 

The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as: “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”[1]

So, what does a career coach do and who should work with a career coach? A career coach is someone who helps their clients define and work towards meeting their professional goals.

Career coaches may work with clients who are making a career change, launching (or in the middle of) a job search or working towards career advancement goals.

Read on for more tips on when to work with a coach, how to choose a coach and other considerations!

When should you consider working with a career coach?

For most people, there is a time in their career when they would benefit from working with a career coach. 

Times you may consider working with a coach include if you:

• Are interested in changing careers or industries
• Need help identifying potential career paths based on your strengths and skill sets
• Are looking to advance in your career and need help mapping out next steps
• Need clarity on a current situation in your career
• Want to better use your strengths in your current role
• Are launching a job search and have not searched for a new role in a number of years

How do you choose a career coach?

Once you have identified that you would like to explore working with a career coach, how do you find one? Most coaches offer a consultation call to learn more about your career situation, determine if it would be a fit to work together, provide you with an opportunity to learn more about them and ask any questions you may have about the process. 

Most coaches also have an online presence, so you can view their LinkedIn page or website before the call. Look at the coaches’ background, education, training and experience. 

Ask for referrals from your own network for a coach.

Bonus Tip: Upon researching coaches, does the coach hold a coaching certification, such as through the International Coach Federation, Center for Credentialing and Education or another organization? Most certification programs require coaches to complete a certain number of continuing education hours annually. What is most important to you about a coach’s experience, background, education or training?

What is it like to work with a career coach?

Every coach offers different ways of working with clients as far as the number of sessions, length of sessions and what else the coaching package may include.

Many coaches work with clients for more than one coaching session, often virtually. They provide pre-work before the first session and may provide additional pre-work before subsequent sessions. 

Coaching is a process to help you uncover what next steps make sense for you in your career. Sessions often seem like a conversation and involve a lot of questions. Similar to a sports coach guiding the team from the sidelines, a career coach is there to help guide you in your career – but ultimately you are the one owning your career and making the decisions. A career coach is not going to tell you which job to take or find a job for you. 

How can a career coach help you?

A career coach can help you discover where you want to go next in your career – not tell you what is the right path for you. Once you decide on your direction, they can help you develop an action plan to reach your career goals, which may include providing best practices, resources and feedback on a process that works for you. 

Benefits of working with a coach include:

• Gaining clarity into your values, strengths, skill sets and how these impact your career
• Gaining clarity into what your next career steps could be
• Accountability, to help move you forward in the process
• Positive reinforcement from your coach
• An outside, objective perspective
• Creating a plan and taking actionable steps

What are the expectations of the person being coached?

The coaching relationships involves commitment and accountability from both people involved. Coaching is an investment not just of financial resources, but also of your time – both time within the coaching sessions and work in between.

It’s important to understand that just as you would have expectations from your coach, the coach also has expectations of you. Common expectations include:

• Accountability – committing to scheduled sessions and completing any agreed upon work in between
• Being honest about their situation and engaged in the coaching process
• Being open to new possibilities and ways of doing things
• Being ready to do the work necessary to reach your goals

Now that you have a better understanding of who a career coach is and what they do, take some time to think through if working with a career coach is a fit for you. If so, what are your goals in working with a coach? What would you hope to gain by working with a career coach?

Ready to move forward? Schedule time on my calendar to learn more about working together. 

[1] _{https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/core-competencies}

What do you do when you are overwhelmed in your career?

• The new project you are leading seems daunting to begin.
• Multiple priorities at work are becoming harder to juggle. 
• The job search you want to launch but aren’t sure where to start. 
• The career change you want to make but you aren’t sure what is the first step. 

Embrace the idea of progress, not perfection. Start small. You run the marathon one step at a time. When you are feeling overwhelmed and you are not sure where to begin, lean into these 4 strategies to get you started. 

Take the First Step

Often, taking the first step is the hardest part. What is the first step you need to take towards reaching your career goals? This could be as simple as scheduling time on your calendar to think more about the goal or project and what’s next. The first step could be that you need to reach out for help, to understand how to move forward. And sometimes, that is the hardest step of all to ask for help.

Break It Down Into Smaller Pieces

As with any larger goal or project, there are multiple pieces or steps. Start by breaking down the task at hand into smaller pieces.

For example, if you are looking at managing multiple priorities at work, map out your work – write down your current projects and responsibilities. Evaluate where you are spending your time – and where you should be spending your time. 

For a job search, what activities will be part of your search? 

Adding structure to your process by creating subgoals or steps helps to generate actionable items on which you can move forward. 

There is power in writing out your goals and the steps with pen and paper. Taking the time to get all the information out of your head and onto paper will help you to see the steps needed to move forward. 

Review Your Progress

While you need to keep the end goal in mind (a completed project or landing a new job), it’s important to keep the perspective that it will take you time to reach your end goal. Review your progress so far to remind yourself of how far you have come and see where you may need to course correct in moving forward. 

Reward Yourself Along the Way

Find ways to reward your progress. Choose a reward that works for you and will motivate you. Maybe you are not at the finish line, but you are halfway there, and you should feel accomplished in reaching the halfway mark. Rewarding yourself along the way will motivate you to continue moving forward.

The next time you are feeling overwhelmed in your career, use these 4 strategies to cut through the overwhelm and help propel you forward. 

Need help taking steps towards your career goals? Schedule a time to talk about what it would look like to work together.

Unexpected twists and turns occur in our careers, as well as life events that can impact our careers. Just as financial advisors recommend having a financial contingency plan via an emergency savings account, you should have a contingency plan for your career. 

These scenarios occur every day:

• Your company re-organizes and you are laid off unexpectedly
• You don’t get the promotion you were promised
• Your company is in financial trouble 

How do you ensure you can pivot quickly if needed to find a new role? Read on for 3 strategies for Creating a Contingency Plan for Your Career, including action tips!

Keep in touch with your network

There is the saying “your network is your net worth.” Who can you call on if you were to have a career emergency? Have you talked to them recently? Have you offered to help them?

If your network is only hearing from you each time you are looking for a new job, you are missing out. Not only are you missing out on valuable opportunities from your network related to resources for advancing your career, you will be in a much better position the next time you want or need to look for a new role if you have a network of people you can pick up the phone and call.

Action tip: Create a list of people in your network and a plan for how to stay connected.

Invest in yourself

Those who focus on a mindset of continuous learning have better positioned themselves for their next job search. What skills are in demand in your field? What skills might be in demand in the future? What are trends in your industry? 

Investing in developing your skills through reading books or articles, taking online courses or certificate programs or attending industry conferences are a few ways to keep moving forward. 

Action tip: Write down one activity you can complete this month to develop your skills and when you will do this. 

Always be open to what’s next

Are you so busy in your current role that you don’t have time to think about what’s next?
Or where would you go if you needed to make a career move quickly?

Some questions to consider include:

• Where are new roles being created in your company? 
• Where is most of the hiring occurring within your company?
• Where are promotional opportunities? 
• What other companies in your industry are hiring right now?
• Do you have a side business that could expand?

Even if you are not actively looking, opportunities could present themselves that may be appealing. Ask yourself – can this opportunity help me grow my career and meet my career goals?

Action tip: Choose one of the questions from above to explore further this month.

Follow these 3 steps to create your career contingency plan so you can be more prepared for changes life may throw your way! 

Need help thinking through your next career steps? Schedule a time to talk about what it would look like to work together. 

Are you where you set out to be? Or did you just end up here? You own your career path – no one else. It is time to start being intentional about it. 

Do any of these situations sound familiar?

• You are not advancing how you would like within your company – you want to take control of your own professional development and career trajectory.
• You want to be promoted, but need more experience or specific skills – how do you obtain these?
• You have enjoyed your work, but want a change – you want to explore a different option.
• You started in a role or industry – and stayed. You didn’t mean to stay so long, you had intended to do something else. And now years later, you aren’t sure what to do next.

How do you take control of your career path and feel confident that you are in the driver’s seat? 

Read on for 5 tips to help you in Owning Your Career Path.

Each Path is Unique

Remember that your path is unique. It should be a career path that fits you, your strengths, your values, your needs and your career goals. Sometimes the noise of what other people think you should do can get in the way. Take time to reflect on your values and skill sets and what type of opportunities will be a fit for you. 

Build on Past Experiences

Often, I hear from clients or potential clients that feel an experience in their past was not a fit for them – or no longer serving them. Many career paths are not linear. I strongly believe that you can take something away from each experience. 

Maybe the role was not a great fit for you or you worked on a challenging team. Were you able to learn a new skill there? Were you able to learn how to be more patient with others or the importance of communications skills? If you are in this situation currently, think about what you can take away from this role. How can what you learned help you in your next role? Even in the most difficult situations, you can usually find a lesson learned to carry into the future. 

Focus on Your Professional Development

Many companies or organizations offer professional development opportunities for their employees. Often, you may need to seek these opportunities out to understand which ones you are eligible for or could receive reimbursement for external opportunities. Is there an internal leadership development program? If so, how are participants selected? Make your interest known early. Understand what else you may need in order to become eligible.

How can you continue to grow and learn? What other skill sets will be important for roles you are interested in moving into in the future? 

Seek out external options. Whether it is an online course, a conference, a certificate program or working with a coach, numerous opportunities exist to continue to improve your skills. 

Celebrate Your Accomplishments

Know what your accomplishments are. Keep track of them at least on an annual basis, preferably quarterly or bi-annually. Who else knows about your accomplishments? Who else NEEDS to know about your accomplishments? You are your own self-advocate. If you are confident in what you have achieved and can share this with others, this puts you in control of your path. Your boss may be busy in the day-to-day and not realize everything you are doing. 

Find Your People

Surround yourself with people who will support you and your career ambitions. It’s important to have people around you who will support you, as well as challenge you in a constructive way. Who in your current network can help you on your career path? Who else may you need in your network to help you meet your goals? 

Read more on finding your people in my previous blog post, Creating Your Personal Board of Directors.

Charting Your Next Steps

Now that you have some tips on how to own your career path, what is one step you can take today to be more intentional in your career? What is not serving you? What could you let go of in your career? If you let go of this, what else could you achieve?

Take some time to reflect on these questions and share with a mentor or your personal board of directors. 

If you need help charting your career path, reach out to schedule a time to talk!

Resilience. I think we have all heard this word a lot by now this year. What does resilience really mean? According to the Mirriam-Webster Dictionary, resilience is defined as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.”

Everyone’s life has been impacted in some way by COVID, whether personally getting sick or having a loved one get sick, or changes to work, school or your personal lifestyle. 

If ever there was a time to talk about career resilience, 2020 is it. Many people have transitioned to working from home, potentially juggling childcare and remote learning along with that transition. Many more have been laid off and are looking for work. Still others are continuing to go into their jobs in person, as part of the essential workforce. 

While this year is hopefully more challenging than most, everyone encounters difficult periods of time in their career. Building resilience within your career is a critical skill for the future of work. 

How can you build your career resilience during this time? Read on for 5 ways to build career resilience. 

Focus 

Focus on the most important goals and activities for your job. What are the key projects or who are your key clients? What activities can you focus on to make sure you are moving the needle on those key projects? What is critical that you accomplish and what can wait? 

Making time to focus on these critical activities is also important, which I know can be difficult right now. Where can you carve out periods of time, however small, in your week to focus on your most critical tasks?

Motivation

Being self-motivated and continuing to encourage yourself to move forward is critical towards developing a resilient mindset. 

How do you do this? 

One strategy is to think of the end goal to motivate yourself to work towards that. Why is your work important? Why do you do what you do? Why is the project you are working on important?

A second strategy is to read about successful people you admire and their career stories. We have all seen the stories of well-known athletes or other celebrities that faced rejection early in their career only to achieve success later. Success often requires a lot of work that people don’t see. People see the end result, but not the whole road to get there. In looking at other people you deem successful, keep in mind your definition of success. Everyone’s definition of success is different and everyone is also at a different point in their career. Use these examples not as a comparison point, but to motivate you to keep going. 

A third strategy is to enlist help to keep you motivated through a friend, mentor, coach or your personal board of directors.

Learning

When you encounter a difficult situation, think about what lessons you can learn and take away from that situation. This can be easier said than done, but I do believe that we can learn something from every situation, no matter how difficult the situation. Often, the biggest lessons learned come from the most difficult situations. The lesson may not be apparent right away. Sometimes, taking the time and space to reflect allows the lesson from that situation to become obvious only later. Apply these lessons learned to future situations.  

Moving Forward

We all have setbacks or bad days. How do you move on from these? This is the key to being resilient. Give yourself the time to be frustrated, mad, angry, upset, whatever the emotion may be. But don’t dwell on it. The next day is a new day, pick yourself up and start again. 

Ask For Help

Know when to ask for help and accommodations. It is okay to ask for help if that will allow you to move forward. Besides tapping into your own network for support, consider what you may need from your current employer. Is there an adjustment to your work schedule that can help your current situation? Is there another accommodation that can be made? Your boss or colleagues will not understand your current situation and what you may need unless you ask! 

Throughout our careers, we will all face challenges and the ability to be resilient and adjust to these changes has never been more important. Use the strategies above to help you build your resilience mindset and come out stronger on the other side!

Do you need help working through a career challenge and becoming more resilient in your career? Reach out to me at kristen@kmcareercoaching.com

Are you planning for an extended leave from work? It’s common to need to take extended time from work for a variety of reasons – parental leave, medical leave, needing to care for an ill family member. No matter your reason for planning an extended leave, following these 5 steps will lead to a successful transition.

1. Plan Ahead

If you know that you will need to take time off of work, plan as far ahead as possible. Find out your company’s policies from HR on taking time off of work, including what paperwork you may need to complete, how far ahead of time you will need to have this completed and with whom you will need to share your leave plans. It’s also important to find out how you may be compensated during this time – depending on what type of leave you are taking, the length of the leave and your company’s policies on paid leave – so that you can plan ahead financially as well. 

2. Organize Projects and Clients

Make a list of all of your ongoing projects or all of your current clients. Create detailed notes on the status of each project and what (if any) actions will need to be taken when you are out of the office. Assess which projects will need attention while you are gone, which projects can be completed before you leave or which projects could be put on hold while you are out. 

3. Identify Your Support Network

Who will you need support from while you are on leave? Is there anyone else that can help you with projects or clients while you are out? Do you have team members that can take over some of your responsibilities? If you have your own business, do you have an assistant that can help or can you hire a temporary assistant to help while you are out? You will likely need support in some way and identifying this ahead of time will be important. 

4. Communicate Early and Often 

Ensure that your team or clients know when you plan to be away and for how long. Communicate your plan with them so that they are comfortable and can ask you any questions ahead of time. Also, be sure to communicate with them what will happen if your leave time needs to be adjusted. In the case of parental leave, the baby may arrive earlier than expected or you may need additional time off after if the baby or mother has additional medical needs. In the case of medical leave, a recovery may be slower and you may not be able to return to work as soon as originally planned. 

Communicate as early as you can. Also, set expectations for communication while you are out. Are you completely offline? Or will you be checking email occasionally? Or reachable only by phone? 

5. Prepare For Your Return

While you probably have a specific date in mind for going back to work, think about how exactly you will return to work. Will you go back immediately full time, or would you prefer to start off with a part time schedule or phased in approach? How will you handle any projects or clients that colleagues may be handling currently for you? Will you take these back over immediately, let your colleagues complete them or work on them together?

There are many factors to consider in planning your extended leave from work. Following the 5 steps outlined above will help to ensure an easier transition into and out of leave for yourself, your family, your colleagues and clients. 

Networking – this word can be intimidating to some people. What does networking really mean? How do you use networking to meet your goals? 

Even for those that are more experienced at networking, you may not be clear on if your efforts are helping you to reach your goals. 

The good news is that focusing on a few simple strategies can help anyone see results with their networking and enjoy it in the process! 

First, let’s talk about what it really means to network…

Networking is simply the process of creating connection and building relationships. When worded this way, the idea of networking becomes more clear and less intimidating. This also takes more experienced networkers back to the basics and reminds them of what networking is all about in the first place. 

Now, let’s look at 5 strategies to get results from your networking.

1. Identify Your Goal For Networking

Networking and connecting with other people can serve many goals. As you evaluate your network or look to build it out further, take time to reflect on what your goal(s) in networking are. Some common reasons to network include:

• During a job search 
• To grow your business
• Build connections within your company for future opportunities
• Learn about a new industry
• When working on a volunteer project,  or looking to serve on a committee or a board

What is your specific goal(s) in networking?

2. Customize Your Networking Strategy and Messaging

Once you are clear on your goal(s) for networking, you can customize your networking strategy. Choose networking activities that make sense for you based on your goals and your personality type. Refine your messaging. The more clear you can be in your messaging, the easier it will be for others to understand who you are and what you are seeking. 

3. Focus on Building Relationships

I mentioned in the beginning that networking is about building relationships. Thinking of networking this way instead of in a transactional nature, such as collecting a lot of business cards, will serve you well. Focus on quality over quantity. If you have 50 people with whom you keep in touch with on a regular basis, that is better than having a stack of 500 business cards on your desk, where you do not keep in touch with those people, they may not remember who you are and you are not able to “call on” your network when you need them. 

4. Add Value

Keep in mind that networking truly is about building a relationship, which is a two-way street. Try to add value for the other person where you can and offer to provide help. You may not know when you are reaching out how you can help the other person or add value for them, but the offer is always appreciated and you often may be making a connection for them sooner than you think.

Adding value does not have to be a huge gesture. Here are some simple ways to add value for one of your contacts:

• Send them an article that relates to a recent discussion you had. 
• Invite them to join you at an upcoming event or conference you are attending that would be of interest to them as well.
• Offer to connect them to someone in your network that would be a good connection for them.
• Keep them in mind – you may not be able to do any of the above immediately, but genuinely keep them in mind if an opportunity presents itself weeks or months down the road. 
• Ask! Ask how you can be of help to them, what they may be looking for help with or may be looking for in new connections.  

5. Follow Up and Stay in Touch

Once you have started to build those relationships, two important aspects of networking are following up on any action items as a result of your networking and maintaining those relationships. Some questions to get you thinking about this include:

• If you offered to introduce the other person to someone, do you follow through? 
• If they introduced you to someone, are you following up with the person that referred you to thank them? 
• Do people in your network hear from you regularly? 
• Would they remember you if you reached out to them?
• If someone in your network asks you for help with something or an introduction, how many other people in your network do you feel you could reach out to right away? 

These strategies will give you a great start to understanding what networking is truly all about and how to take your networking to the next level to get results! 

Not sure if your networking strategy is getting the results you want? Reach out and schedule a time to talk. 

Fear can be a powerful motivator – or a powerful detractor. Is fear holding you back from what you really want in your career? What would you do if you weren’t afraid? Would you advocate for the promotion? Would you finally take the leap and start your own business you have been thinking about? Would you decide to start your job search so you can stop dreading going to work every Sunday night?

Read on for 4 strategies to conquer fear in your career.

Identify the Source of Your Fear

Take some time to try to pinpoint the source of your fear. Why are you afraid to take the step forward you have been thinking about for so long? Did you try to take this step before and it didn’t work out? Often, people are afraid to change – even if the change may bring something better. Change brings unknown factors – even if you are not happy with your current situation, it is familiar, it is a known variable. 

Start With the Positive

Visualize a positive outcome for yourself. What would happen if you asked for what you wanted and got it? Or if you took that leap and were successful? How would you feel? Write down how it would feel to have the success of which you are dreaming. 

Just For a Minute – Imagine The Worst Case Scenario

Many times, the worst case scenario is not as bad as we have made it out to be in our heads. What if you advocate for a promotion and you don’t get it? What would happen? Likely, nothing big would change. You would probably start to think about whether you want to stay and look for another opportunity or if you would leave.

Sometimes, people are afraid to negotiate their salary in a job offer. What is the worst that happens if you negotiate and the company says they cannot give you more money? Probably the worst that happens is that you end up with the salary they originally offered – and you either decide to accept the offer or decide it’s too low and continue searching for another role. 

What if you found a new job and it was worse than the last? If you have been thorough in your search and the interview process, you will hopefully not find yourself in this situation. If for some reason it was a terrible fit, you can always leave.

Fast Forward

Think ahead one year from now. If your situation was exactly the same, would you regret not taking this step forward? 

What are you waiting for? Get out there and conquer your fear and achieve the career success you have been dreaming of. 

Need some help? Schedule a time to talk about how we can work together to help you conquer your career fears.   

Are you thinking about making a career change, but you are not sure what you want to do next? You are not alone! Many people decide they want to make a change, but they are not sure what that change should be. Wouldn’t it be great if someone could just show you the path forward that is right for you? But it’s not always that simple. Making a change will require some work on your part, time to process and patience with yourself. Read on for 5 strategies on how to get you started. 

Take Time to Reflect

Think about why you are looking to make a career change. What do you currently like and dislike about your role and/ or organization? Understanding why you want to make a change will be beneficial to you moving forward. It’s important to do some internal work before jumping into a job search.

The first exercise I give to clients is a values exercise to determine what their top values are. This helps you to focus on what is most important to you and make decisions in line with your values. 

Identify Your Strengths

Next, identify your strengths. What are you good at? What is distinctive about you? You will want to utilize your strengths in any future role. Playing to your strengths allows you to perform your best at work. Working in a role that utilizes your strengths will bring you energy, not drain your energy.  

Write It Out

In addition to the strategies mentioned above, think about your list of non-negotiables. Even if you are not sure what type of role you want, there are usually a list of items that you know you DO want in your next career or role. Some questions to think about include:

• What qualities do you desire in a career? 
• Do you like working on a team or more independently?
• Is having access to professional development important to you? 
• Is having room to grow in the organization important to you?
• Would you prefer an office job or something more active?
• Is having a flexible work schedule important? 
• Are there specific criteria you have for: commute, salary, benefits? 

What are must-haves for you in a new role?

Next, make a list of any type of career or role you have considered. Even if they seem out of reach, make an exhaustive list to start, which you can narrow down later. Focus on brainstorming ideas and dreaming big, not just on what seems realistic.

Research Options

Start to research your options based on the exercises above. There are many tools available online to research career paths and roles, including potential training needed and salary estimates. Your research should help you to narrow down your options. 

Enlist the Help of Your Network

Talk to others about their career paths and current roles. This provides much more information than researching online alone ever could. By having these conversations, you can better understand if you would like doing this type of work. Ask your close network – those that know you best – trusted colleagues, friends, family, for their suggestions. Often, someone else is able to see something that you are not able to see. 

The thought of changing careers can be daunting, but using the 5 strategies outlined above will help streamline your process and have you on your way to finding a role that is a great fit for you. 

Still need some help? Schedule a time to talk about how we can work together to help you make a successful career change. 

What is a “personal board of directors”? Maybe this phrase is new to you or maybe you have heard it before and want to think about a refresher of your “board.” I’m not sure where I first heard that phrase, but it has been around for years and if you have spent any amount of time reading articles or attending conferences surrounding careers, you have probably heard it, too! Read on to learn more about how to create your personal board of directors.

Defining Your Board

The idea behind a personal board of directors is to create a group of people to help guide your career, just as a company has a board of directors to guide the company. 

Think of your personal board of directors as the people with whom you keep in touch regularly about your career. Just as a corporate board of directors has a certain number of people, your board should consist of between 4 – 8 people. Less than 4 is too few, more than 8 can become hard to keep in touch with consistently.

Why Having a Board is Critical to Your Career

What does having a personal board of directors mean for your career? It’s important to find the people in your career that will support you as you continue on your path. As changes occur in your career, it is helpful to have people with whom you can talk through these possible changes. Think about what your career goals are as you create your board – and how their feedback can help you get to your next step faster or see opportunities that you had not thought about previously.

Who to Include on Your Board of Directors

What type of people should you include on your board of directors? Once you have defined your career goals, consider the types of people listed below as possible candidates for your board.

• Supporters – People that will provide positive feedback to you and help you see your strengths and accomplishments.

• Critics – While everyone on your board should want to see you succeed and be supportive of your career overall, not everyone on your board should be a “yes” person. You also need someone that can provide constructive feedback. This person is not negative – but they challenge you to think about options you may not have thought about. 

• Connectors – People that have a wide network and can connect you to others to help meet your professional goals.

• Someone in your field – A person in your field can relate to your industry or specific position and the types of situations you may encounter.  

• Someone outside of your field – A person outside of your field can provide a different perspective. 

• Someone who is where you would like to be – Having someone you can talk to who is 1 or 2 steps ahead of where you want to be in your career is extremely valuable.

• A mentor, sponsor or coach – A mentor is someone usually in your field, that provides feedback and advice on your overall career. They could be someone within your company.  A sponsor is someone within your organization that advocates for you, whether it is for a promotion or taking on a new project. A coach is someone that you have hired, or your organization has hired for you, who is professionally trained, and will help you define and work towards your career goals. 

These categories do not have to be mutually exclusive. You may have someone on your board who is within your industry and is a connector. Or someone who is a critic and who is outside of your field. 

Evaluating Your Board

Your board can and should change over time. Just as directors have terms on a corporate board, you need to bring in new members over time to your board. As your career goals change, you need to have people on your board that will help you reach your current goals.

Thinking about the options above, do you have any or all of these people on your board? If not, who are you missing? 

Do you need help evaluating your network so you can reach your career goals? Let’s schedule a time to talk about how we can work together.